Thursday, December 09, 2010

Donna Sachet’s 18th Annual Songs of the Season

The three night run of Donna Sachet’s 18th Annual Songs of the Season got off to a rousing start last Monday evening as the jovial crowd filled the RRazz Room with holiday cheer.. You could feel the love that the audience had for the quick-witted, warm and charismatic Ms. Sachet. Donna created the show eighteen years ago with friends singing around a piano. Someone thought to throw a hat on the floor to take donations for AIDS, and Donna’s annual event was hatched. This year Donna was able to raise over $50,000 for both the AIDS Emergency Fund and the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund through this event. Donna is a tireless fundraiser and charismatic performer in the great tradition of San Francisco personalities of years past. It’s a delight to be in her presence.

Gracing the stage this year as Donna’s guests were the warmly harmonic S.D.K Trio, the bluesy Vicki Shepard, Rrazz Room newcomer, Mr. Kelly Houston, the infamous Val Diamond of Beach Blanket Babylon fame, the angelic Abigail Zsiga, and the raucous Sharon McNight. The three piece band was a sheer delight with Michael Grossman on piano, Daniel Fabricant on bass and Randy Odell on percussion. In addition to Donna’s ability to charm an audience into submission, the highlight of the night was Abigail Zsiga. At the piano her style is reminiscent of Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones. An entire evening of Abigail at the Rrazz Room would be a fabulous treat. In addition to the actual stage show, the audience was filled with various San Francisco dignitaries. State Senator Mark Leno made a brief appearance on stage and seemed to love the show from his third row seat, and the beautiful and bountifully endowed, Cassandra Cass, one of the stars of the critically acclaimed film, Trantasia, worked the room taking sexy snapshots with various admirers in her super tight red Christmas red dress. Donna was beautiful as always as well. She changed costumes a few times throughout the evening The topper was a beautiful evening gown adorned with a white wig that made Donna look like a holiday version of the Good Witch of the North.

All in all the evening had the feel of the original gathering eighteen years ago: friends getting together and raising money for a worthy cause during the holiday season. Let’s hope Donna can keep doing this for another eighteen years.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Gunn High School's "Twelve Angry Men"

I love be surprised when I go to the theatre. I had never seen Twelve Angry Men, the play, and I saw that Gunn High School was performing it. One of my own kids goes to Gunn, so I decided to go with him.  These young people were wonderful. Yes, the boys forgot to blend their make-up, yes it could have been titled Eight Angry Women and Four Angry Men, and yes it seemed silly when an angry man threatened to punch an angry woman, but whatever the production lacked in professional polish, it more than made up for in guts, raw and authentic passion, and unbridled commitment to the story. I enjoyed this production more than anything I have seen in any professional theatre since my trip to London over a year ago. 

Everyone in this show was completely committed to his or her role, creating a thought provoking and riveting play. Let me point out the performance of one actor in particular. I hesitate to do this because I don't meant to  take away from anyone else in the show - they were all very good - but Blake Vesey as Juror #3 embarked on one of the most courageous performances of anything I have seen on stage in a long time.  As one becomes more and more trained as an actor, many teachers and directors (especially in the U.S.) will encourage an emotional actor to pull back, not become "too angry". They say things like " you will lose your audience", "people won't care about you anymore", and a myriad of other things to prevent the actor "over acting". Fortunately for us, people like Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro,  and Cherry Jones,  never heeded that advice. 

Today, I saw Blake Vesey do the same thing that those courageous celebrity actors have become famous for. Blake never backed off. We find out at the end of the play why he is so enraged and it's for good reason. For two and a half hours his entire performance was fueled by that rage. Even when he was speaking quietly, it was there under the surface ready to explode. By the end of the play when he seemed at his limit, he stepped it up a a notch and the audience was riveted. The emotional commitment and courage that this young man seemed to grasp and fully inhabit went beyond anything I have seen any adult do on stage in my recent memory. If he pursues an acting career, lets just hope that this unbridled passion doesn't get buried under the techniques he learns in drama school. 

As I said, I could say numerous wonderful things about each and every person in the cast and if I had the time I would. Thank you all for a wonderful afternoon of theatre. 

Monday, October 18, 2010

Freddie Mercury Gets a Makeover


This Friday and Saturday night at the fabulous Rrazz Room in the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco, the late-great Freddie Mercury of Queen fame, will be glorified by the Bay Area's own Carly Ozard. She will be singing the songs of Freddie in her new cabaret show - "Somebody to Love - My Musical Tribute to Freddie Mercury". If this sounds impossible, well it is, except that this is Carly Ozard. She has the chops, believe me. I have heard her sing these songs and she sings the hell out of them. This is going to be one show you don't want to miss.




When: October 22nd and 23rd, 10:30 PM
Where: The Rrazz Room at the Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason Street San Francisco

Friday, September 24, 2010

My Review of "An Evening with Leslie Jordan" at the Rrazz Room


Here’s a little “inside baseball” for you. The next time you go to a show at The Rrazz Room, don’t be in too big of a hurry to get to your seat. Linger in the lobby for a while until just a few moments before the show starts. You’ll invariably be blessed by a pre-show encounter with the featured performer.

Apparently, there’s no private restroom for the talent at The Rrazz Room, and they must use the same one the audience does. So, as your favorite star is heading to powder his or her nose one last time, he or she will have to pass in front of the maitre d’s station.
Master storyteller Leslie Jordan in
An Evening with Leslie Jordan.
And that’s what recently happened to a few of us lucky souls. We were there to see the 4’11” ball-of-energy from the hills of Tennessee, Leslie Jordan, in An Evening with Leslie Jordan. You may know him best as the character Beverly Leslie from hit show Will and Grace for which he won a 2006 Emmy Award. As Jordan was making his beeline to the boy’s room, he beamed at us with a mischievous grin and said in his disarming Southern drawl, “I feel real naughty tonight, I think I’m going to be really nasty.” And Jordan delivered heartily on his pledge with the engaging style of a master storyteller.....read the full article

Sunday, September 12, 2010

THE FANTASTICKS at SF Playhouse

Last night SF Playhouse completed its run of The Fantasticks and I am overjoyed that I was there. Please tell me you didn't miss this show.  This production renewed my faith in my belief that The Bay Area has the ability to produce out of this world intimate theatre. Bill English and Susi Damilano have successfully created the kind of small theatre that others should aspire to become. From the moment you enter, there is an atmosphere of joy and creativity. Last night both Bill and Susi mingled with the audience before the show, during the intermission, and after the show. They greet each and every audience member warmly and engage them in genuine conversation. It's so cool.

Now what about the show? In a word - FANTASTICK! Ha! Seriously it was. The set was wonderfully dilapidated, reflecting Mr. English's desire to portray the state of much of our world today. This effect really made the show feel comtemporary in a somewhat meloncholic way. I never had the feeling that I was watching a production of the most overdone musical in history. It felt new and lively and current.

The acting in this show was superb, the direction creative and surprising, the choreography lively and funny, and Robert Moreno on the piano, the only musical accompaniment, was inspired in his interpretation of the score.

Tarek Khan (El Gallo) and Sepideh Moafi (Luisa)
in The Fantasticks at SF Playhouse
Jeremy Kahn as Matt brought a youthful exuberance and charming vulnerabilty to the role. Tarek Khan as El Gallo looked and acted as though Tom Jones and Harvery Schmidt had him in mind when the wrote this play.
Yusef Mortimer as "the man who dies", died with much aplomb and often and he was hillarious. Joan Mankin as Bellomy, a role written for a man, was perfect. This was one of my favorite risks that Bill English took with the script. By making Bellomy a woman, there was an added depth to the story in that the relationship of Bellomy and Hucklebee paralleled the relationship between their children. Without changing the script  much at all, English and the cast were able to create a sense of empathy that otherwise wouldn't be possible. The parent's feelings for one another made it easier for them to understand the trials of their children. It was subtle but wonderful.

Sepideh Moafi as Luisa was superb. I must admit that I have acted with Sepi so one might assume that I am biased, but I'm not.  Her comic timing and dramatic acting skills are superb, her dancing is beautiful and fluid, but as good as all of this is, her soprano voice is angelic. I know it sounds like I'm exacturating but I simply am not. There were moments in the show when I could hear audience members gasp as she sang, simply because what they were hearing sounded like perfection. Unfortuneately, for us, and as is often the case with people of her talent, she is leaving the Bay Area to study with the prestigious MFA program at UC Irvine. I wouldn't doubt if one day in the not to distant future we see her starring on the Broadway stage. I've seen it a few times over the last decade, friends of mine with exceptional talent making it in New York or in Hollywood. I have a feeling that Sepi will be another of those gifted few.

Louis Parnell as Hucklbee was hilarious and touching. He gave such an honest and heartfelt performance as he always does. Norman Munoz as the mute added a touch of testosterone to the show. The shirtless Munoz was strong and atheltic and moved like a gazelle.

Ray Reinhardt the resident celebrity of the cast, who has appeared in numerous productions in the Bay Area  -  A.C.T., San Jose Rep. and others, as well as many roles in television and film, just nailed his depiction of Henry, the aging Shakespearian "over-actor". His performance was just delightful.

Were there any flaws in this production? It sounds as though I am describing something "fantastical", I know. There were some flaws, yes, because actors are human beings. But I don't care about that. Even the flaws were endearing. I was totally won over as was, I dare to say, the entire audience.

Bravo SF Playhouse! Very well done.

Find out more about SF Playhouse and their exciting season of plays!

Thursday, September 02, 2010

My Review of Katya Smirnoff Skyy in SF Bay Times

Last week I wrote a review for a "V"onderful San Francisco cabaret act. Her name is Katya Smirnoff Skyy and she is the best. Here's the article..

Katya… a One Night Stand: Vonderful!!
Published: September 2, 2010

Joseph Kanon (piano) and Countess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy in Katya, A One Night Stand.
By Ray Renati
“We’ve known Katya since he… I mean she was a little girl,” a nice lady exclaimed as we waited in line at The Rrazz Room to see the fabulous Countess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy and her 90-minute, sold-out show, Katya... A One Night Stand. “Oh, yes,” the nice lady’s husband exclaimed, “the first time I saw him… um, her, was the day he was born.” In fact, the room that evening was filled with Katya’s devoted fans. Many knew her from her ongoing Sunday night appearances at Martuni’s Bar. And for most of the night the phrase, “We love you, Katya,” could be heard between songs from all corners of the room.
The show began with Katya’s accompanist and musical director, Joseph Kanon (or, “Yo” as she affectionately calls him in her distinctive Russian accent) on the piano. Katya entered from the back of the room singing “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” As she rounded the corner, her gracious soprano voice suddenly gave way to a rather gruff but hilarious baritone, “Get outa’ my VAY!” she snapped at an audience member whose feet were dangling in the aisle. From that moment on, the audience knew it was in for a Russian treat.
Katya possesses the style and beauty one would expect of a Russian Countess. She wore a beautiful green evening gown, wonderfully adorned by her dresser Hilary Marking and designed by the gifted Mr. David. Halfway through the show she took a brief break to change into a gorgeous sequined black pants suit. Her hair was impeccable, the jewelry big and sparkly, and her nails the envy of every lady in the room.

READ MORE ON THE SF BAY TIMES WEB SITE

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Buddy Films of All Buddy Films

On the flight over from France I watched the film “Sideways” on the little 6 inch screen. How did I miss this movie that won the Oscar for best film a few years ago? What a great movie! I mean there are buddy films and then there are BUDDY FILMS. This movie is buddy film at it's best. Now I know why Pinot Noir became so popular five years ago. I remember noticing this strange occurrence and now I realize why it happened. This may be old news to anyone reading this but because Miles (played by Paul Giamatti) arbors Merlot and worships the Pinot Noir grape, sales of Pinot skyrocketed and Merlot plummeted in the year following. It may be the most economically influential monologue ever delivered in a movie.

There are so many reasons that I love this movie. The ensemble work is as good as it gets. You really get the feeling that not only do the actors love being a part of this movie, but underlying the entire thing is this feeling that they really love one another. I know that maybe that sounds nuts, but you just get the feeling that they all knew they were making something very special and that somehow transfers itself to the screen.

If you somehow missed this movie five years ago, treat yourself to a fine wine and rent this movie.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Off Topic - Socialism

I'm a little tired of the Right wing of this country calling the Democrats, "Socialists". It's just a way of making middle aged people remember the cold war and the Soviet Union. It's hateful and wrong, so here's what I think.

First you must define what you mean by Socialism. Right now it's being used by the Right in this country as code for "communist". The fact of the matter is that all Western countries are socialist to varying degrees. The U.S. has socialist institutions: highways, military, utilities, fire departments, police, V.A. medical services, Social Security, and on and on. So, we are socialist to an extent.

There are countries in Europe like France that have taken it somewhat further. France happens to have a more even distribution of wealth because of it. So, to say that there is anything inherently bad about socialism is to deny reality. It's mostly a matter of what you perceive to be fair.

Many people in this country hold on to a sense of the American Dream which gives them the (mostly false) belief that if they work hard enough, and make the right decisions they could become as rich as Bill Gates. This attitude makes us uniquely "American". In France and England this sort of thing doesn't exist in the same way. People are more geared toward having a comfortable life rather than hoping for an extravagant one sometime in the future.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Young Frankensteeeeeeeeeeeen!

There are just a few days left to see Young Frankenstein at The Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco. Panned by the New York Times a couple of years ago, the show has had a bad reputation. I can't for my life understand this at all unless perhaps they fixed the problems that seemed to be a problem with the NY Times.

I LOVED IT! 

I found myself laughing to the point of pain. If you love the movie, you will love this production. TWO very enthusiastic thumbs up from me. And in the chorus is a young actor whom I've had the priveledge of performing with, Matthew Hutchens. He's a local boy whose made his mark on a few national touring companies. and I am certain one day on Broadway.
Get your tickets here.

CLOSES JULY 25TH!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Shakespeare Done Well

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it was in London that allowed me to so fall in love with Shakespeare's work. Each time I saw a Shakespeare play done in London, I felt totally captivated. Often when I see a Shakespeare play in the States that doesn't happen. What's the difference? Is it just that I felt so privileged to be spending time there and I was in a different state of mind, or is it more than that? I think that perhaps the answer is a cultural one. If you grow up there, and become an actor, you unconsciously absorb the subtle nuances that make Shakespeare great. If I were to venture a guess as to what those nuances are I would say this: 1) Specificity. British actors and directors make each line specific in that even if the meaning is only slightly different than the preceding line, they do whatever is necessary to differentiate the difference in a way that the audience will understand. 2) Voice. The British have a stronger sense of the musicality and poetry of the language. Americans (except for much of the South) tend to speak in a flat and monotone pitch. 3) Passion for the words. The British just seem to be more passionate about the actual words. Here we often try to cover up the words with a tricky theme. The British know that none of that layering can ever trump the power of Shakespeare's words themselves.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

The Dangers of DOO RANG

Let me just say a couple of things about attempting to produce a play by Christorpher Durang. First of all it's extremely difficult to pull off well. His comedy is so absurd, cynical, and over-the-top, that unless you fully understand his humor and what it takes to play his stuff with complete sincerity while simultaneously maintaining an ever present sense of farce and irony, then forget about it. So many times over the last thirty years, I have seen relatively inexperienced actors and directors attempt his plays. Perhaps they do it because they have such fond memories of doing scenes from "Beyond Therapy" in acting class. Acting class is one thing, but to put an audience through two and a half hours of craziness without leaving them exhausted or frazzled or bored is another. On the other hand, when done well and with comic aplomb, a Durang play may just leave you with broken ribs and a hernia. You literally may laugh yourself to death.

So fellow directors, please, if you insist on doing Durang, make sure you ask a third party to come in and give you an honest assessment of how things are going about half way through the rehearsal process. Make sure this person is an experienced director who will be brutally honest with you. What you think is drop-dead hilarious, might actually be like finger nails on the chalkboard to those removed from the ubiquitous zaniness.

Monday, June 28, 2010

"In the Wake" at Berkeley Rep

At Berkeley Rep, Carson Elrod and Heidi Schreck (right) star in the world-premiere production of In the Wake, from the creators of Broadway’s Well.


Well, it's closed now but on Saturday afternoon "I saw In the Wake" at Berkeley Rep. Lisa Kron's new play is poised to perhaps be one of the greatest plays of our time. With a little cutting and a little bit of work in bringing together the main story, and the background story of our country's downfall during the Bush years, this play will surely be a huge hit in New York and will bring on the attention of the Amercian Theatre Wing.

Not in a long time has a play so absorbed itself into my consciousness. The day after seeing this show I felt incredibly down and hopeless. The message at first seemed so fatalistic. But as I thought about it more,I realized that it actually was a play about finally understanding oneself after hardship and heartbreak.
I think that this play may win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It's headed to New York this fall. What can you say, another great one comes out of Berkeley Rep. You have got to love that.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

NBC's Trauma Deserves Another Chance

Trauma deserves to return for a second season. The last half dozen episodes or so of the show were some of the best TV I've seen in a while. The scripts were more character driven, and the actors seemed to have received some real attention and direction. I often found myself riveted to the plot and to the excellent acting. I hope they bring it back. 

In the last episode I saw a couple of friends on the show: the multi-talented Carla Pantoja played a housekeeper! Can you believe the woman pictured here played a housekeeper! (The picture is a production photo for Way of the World at The Pear Avenue Theatre). Not only is she a versatile and skilled actor, Carla is also an expert at stage combat! Check out her company, Dueling Arts.


Also, Michael Ray Wisely, bay area stage star and host of the DIY Networks do-it-yourself home improvement show, Home Transformations finally got to show his stuff on the last episode of the season. He's currently appearing in To Kill a Mockingbird at Theatreworks.He played the brother of a guy who got fried by chemicals or something. Michael Ray used a very interesting sort East Coast accent in this episode. It was kind of cool. Actually, I wonder if he was emulating an accent I used to hear all time as a kid growing up in San Francisco. My grandparents had it pretty strongly and sometimes I find myself slipping into it. They were born in San Francisco, but their parents immigrated from Italy. I believe that there were a large number of mostly Irish and Italian people that spent a decent amount of time in New York City after arriving on Ellis Island, and many of them took the trip out west to San Francisco. Their first introduction to English was with a New York accent, so it stuck. If you go sit in some of the old watering holes in North Beach or in the Mission, you'll hear some old timers who still speak with the accent. Listen to the "r"'s, like in words like drawer. They will usually say "drawuh" like on the East Coast. Thanks Michael Ray for bringing it back. Brought back some good memories.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Trauma - Maybe the Final Episode

Well, San Francisco's latest TV show, Trauma, may have just aired its last episode. The Nielsen Ratings are not that good and NBC needs to get itself out of the tank. I hope that somehow it will resurrect itself but right now it doesn't look good. This is a blow for local actors who were finally getting a well deserved chance at making inroads into network television. The show seemed to be employing more actors than Nash Bridges had fifteen years ago.


So here is what may be the final episode of the show. Let's hope not.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Ticket Discount for The Illusion this Saturday at The Pear Avenue Theatre


SPECIAL OFFER 
For this SaturdayMarch 20th onlyGet 40% off the ticket price!
General Seating $15 & Students/Seniors $10
Send e-mail to tickets@thepear.org to secure your discount
Type "3/20 Discount" in the title of the e-mail


The show runs through April 3rd. 
Web site: www.thepear.org

Friday, March 05, 2010

The Pear Avenue Theatre - The Illusion - Opens March 19th, 2010

The Pear Avenue Theatre - The Illusion - Opens March 19th, 2010

 

directed by

Michael Champlin

 

cast (click on Name for Bio and Picture)

Isaac Benelli
Bill Davidovich
Monique Hafen
Jim Johnson
Drew Ledbetter
Sepideh Moafi
Ray Renati*
Patricia Tyler

*Member, Actors Equity



 

Speed the Plow Calendar

 

Artistic Staff

Director Michael Champlin
Set Designer Ron Gasparinetti
Stage Manager Shannon Wass
Lighting Designer Michael Sokolsky
Costume Designer Rebecca Ennals
Sound Designer Valerie Clear

The Play

The Illusion is a play by Tony Kushner, adapted from Pierre Corneille's seventeenth-century comedy, L'Illusion Comique. It follows a contrite father, Pridamant, seeking news of his prodigal son from the sorcerer Alcandre. The magician conjures three episodes from the young man's life. Inexplicably, each scene finds the boy in a slightly different world where names change and allegiances shift. Pridamant watches, but only as the strange tale reaches its conclusion does he learn the ultimate truth about his son.
The Illusion has a lighter mood than Kushner's most famous play, Angels in America, but the two plays share a love of poetic dialogue and theatricality.

Box Office Information

Buy Tickets On-Line

Buy tickets for the current show online!
Tickets On-Line

There is a service fee of less than $2.00 for each ticket purchased on-line, or through the 800 number.

Telephone

Credit Card Orders: 1-800-838-3006
To Pay by Check: 650-254-1148
When paying by check, be sure to leave us your phone number and speak slowly and clearly. You will hear back from us within 24 hours to confirm your order.




Thursday, February 18, 2010

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Come See Pear Slices 2010

Pear Slices 2010


Directed by
Troy Johnon
and Diane Tasca






Eight 10 Minute Plays
Written by

Members of the Pear Playwrights Group
Paul Braverman, Doug Brook, Helena G. Clarkson, Leah Halper, Margy Kahn, Megan Ma, Elyce Melmon, and Ross Peter Nelson

Cast
Lance Fuller
Maria Giere
Shelley Lynn Johnson
Bill C. Jones
Kate Jopson
Peggy Lynch
Ray Renati*
Alika Spencer

*Member, Actors Equity

 
The Plays


  1. Timelines tangle as visitors from The Future invade a bedroom and push the re-set button on a couple's missed opportunity . . . to procreate. – Paul Braverman, Out of Time
  2. A man and a woman run the gamut of a relationship in ten minutes, performing a courtship dance that might have been choreographed by Samuel Beckett.– Helena G. Clarkson, As Is (No Warranty)
  3. Two lifelong friends--one too busy to appreciate life, the other with too little time left--rediscover the ties that bind them, and forge new ones – Megan Ma, Foreign Bodies
  4. A creature from Scottish legends crawls out onto California's rocky coast: Half-man, half-seal, and looking for Love, the Selkie encounters an aging flower child and uptight female park ranger. --Margy Kahn, The Selkie
  5. A Jewish mother and daughter find temporary sanctuary from the Nazis in a Catholic church in Italy. A friendly priest offers them longterm protection, but they must assume the identity of Catholic nuns. – Elyce Melmon, The Veiling
  6. A homeless, wheel-chair-bound Vietnam vet helps a woman find the name of the father she never met in Portland's Vietnam Memorial. – Leah Halper, Eye Level Eye
  7. A young woman returns from Italy with a surprising announcement for her parents: She had found God in the person of a polite young man whom she met on the sidewalk in Rome. – Doug Brook, Finding God
  8. Two peace activists are stuck for ideas about political theatre. So they cross the River Styx to seek advice from the master--the Greek playwright Aristophanes. –Ross Peter Nelson, The Return of The Frogs


Pear Slices 2010 previews on Thursday, February 11, opens Friday, February 12, and closes on Sunday, February 28. Performances are Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm; there is also a 2pm Saturday matinee on February 27.

Location: the Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Avenue , Mountain View , CA 94043 .

Tickets: Thursdays & Sundays: $20 General / $15 Students + Seniors; Fridays & Saturdays: $25/$20; opening-night gala: $30/$25.

Reservations: 650-254-1148 or www.thepear.org. For credit card orders, call Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006..

Friday, January 08, 2010

Plow is Finally Here

Well, we open tonight. What a great time this has been for me. It's so rewarding when you have the chance to work with a group of actors that are all focused on simply making the show the best it can be. We had our preview last night and it went very well. It's interesting to watch the audience respond to "Speed-the-Plow". Much of the dialogue is shocking to our 2010 politically correct ears. Wait, let me rephrase that. In public, people put on their politically correct faces. At home watching t.v. or a movie there is plenty of non-p.c. stuff out there. And at home, in the privacy of our living rooms we laugh. Look at all the popular shows: Jersey Shore, Cops, etc.. But in public, people never want to show that they might find cynical, obscenity filled ideas amusing or entertaining. Thus, many cower, in public. That's one of the reasons I've been so pleased to be able to bring this show to our audience. I like to shake people up and help them get off their self-imposed pedestals. There is often nothing more freeing. Always having to censor our reactions to humorous vulgarity or cynical irony is tiresome. Mamet gives us a chance for an hour or two to be free of that burden.

Come and see the show!



Get your tickets early, as this show is sure to sell out!
Visit our on-line box office or call 1-800-838-3006 for tickets.


Directed by Ray Renati
Starring: Paul Loomis, Jake Vincent, & Sarah Griner

Opens January 8th
runs through
January 24th
Learn more

Paul Loomis.jpg jake_vincent.jpg
Paul Loomis as Bobby Gould
Jake Vincent as Charlie Fox Sarah Griner as Karen



The Story

Hollywood mid-level producers Bobby Gould and Charlie Fox engage in a verbal boxing match centered on the eternal debate of art versus money. Should Gould recommend to his unseen boss another bad action would-be blockbuster? Or should he put himself on the line for a film adaptation of a spiritual, uplifting, and apocalyptic novel? The office's temp acts as catalyst in this debate. Gould has her read the novel in order to report on it to him later at his apartment. Things get very heated, but we don't want to spoil it for you. So come see the show!

Continue reading more about the play on our web site.