"Follies", Fantastic!

It's been five days in the Big Apple and although I got nickeled and dimed to death by the experts of Manahattan, I had a wonderful time. I saw four Broadway shows: "Follies", "Sons of the Prophet", "Venus in Fur", and "The Mountaintop".  I will only talk about "Follies" in this post. I'll write something about each of the others over the next few days.

"Follies", is in a word, sublime. If you are heading to New York anytime soon, and if you have an eclectic appreciation for musical theatre then you owe it to yourself to see this show. However, if you rarely go to the theatre, then go see another musical. I recommend "Jersey Boys".  Anyway, back to "Follies".  I just can't say enough about how magnificent this show is in every way.  The very predictable highlight of the show for me was the performance by the goddess of musical theatre, Miss Bernadette Peters as Sally Durante Plummer. I have loved this small bundle of artIstic genius since watching her appear on Sesame Street when I was a kid. The thing I love about her most is that you just never feel that she's acting. She seems to actually completely live each and every moment on stage as her own personal reality.  She sends chills down my spine and gives me goose bumps. Since I'm blogging and not writing a review, here's a little story that's kind of fun. I was having lunch with a friend at 5 Napkins. We were discussing "Follies" and how wonderful it was. As we were speaking Jan Maxwell herself, who is fabulous in the show as Phyllis, was walking down the street toward our outdoor table. Like an idiot I pointed directly at her and said in too loud a voice, "there she is!". Poor Jan's face instantly became a mask of terror, and I felt instantly ridiculous. Quickly, I saved myself by giving her a thumbs up and whispering to her, "great show", attempting also to don the most gentle, non-stalker expression I could muster. It must have worked because she relaxed and realized that I wasn't going to cause her an episode of celebrity hell.  She smiled thankfully and said "yes it is". It was a very funny moment. Anyway, just go see this show, and if you see it and can tell me how the hell they were able to create the otherworldly lighting effects, let me know, because it was magical and I have no idea how they did it.

You can get all the info on "Follies" here: http://folliesbroadway.com/

It closes on January 21st, so buy your plane tickets now. 

Anna Deavere Smith at Berkeley Rep

Last night I stood in front of the two theatres on Addison Street in Berkeley, marveling at how on one stage the legendary Rita Moreno was getting ready to perform her new show that she developed with Tony Taccone, called Life Without Makeup, and on the neighboring stage the Obie Award winning powerhouse Anna Deavere Smith was preparing to performing her new work, Let Me Down Easy.  It always amazes me that Berkeley Repertory Theatre with its unassuming facade, in its unassuming location is able to take the theatre world by the gonads and present work that changes the culture- and that is exactly what Let Me Down Easy will do. It will change the world. I was  so emotionally drained after the show that I've barely had energy to do a thing all day, today. Rarely, have I laughed so hard, and cried so hard, within the short span of a play, without feeling resentful or manipulated. Within a non-stop 100 minute flash, Smith reveals the personalities of people she interviewed to develop this masterpiece. She becomes these people. She uses their exact words to tell their stories of death, cancer, and the health care system. You get Lance Armstrong, Texas Governor Ann Richards, Eave Ensler and a host of others. Much of the reenactment is done with Smith's tongue planted firmly in her cheek, especially Lance Armstrong. But, later in the show when she begins to depict other people, like her own aunt, there is an empathy and a truth that I have rarely witnessed on the stage. It touched me to the core. It must have touched most of the audience too, because all I could hear during the pauses were hundreds of poorly conceived sniffles.

There are only two performances left of this show. If you ever get a chance to see the remarkable Anna perform live, you must.

LET ME DOWN EASY
WHO: Conceived, written, and performed by Anna Deavere Smith
Directed by Leonard Foglia
Designed by Riccardo Hernandez (sets), Ann Hould-Ward (costumes), Dan
Ozminkowski (lights), Ryan Rumery (sound), Zachary Borovay (projections),
and Joshua Redman (original music)
WHAT: Let Me Down Easy, the latest hit show from the legendary Anna Deavere Smith
WHERE: Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison Street @ Shattuck, Berkeley, CA 94704
WHEN: FOUR WEEKS ADDED! August 10 – September 4, 2011
 Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays @ 8:00 PM
 Wednesdays @ 7:00 PM
 Saturdays @ 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM
 Sundays @ 2:00 PM
HOW MUCH: $49 - $95 (subject to change)
PHOTOS: http://www.berkeleyrep.org/press/photos-11de.asp
TIX & INFO: (510) 647-2949 – berkeleyrep.org – (888) 4-BRT-Tix (toll-free)

"A Raisin in the Sun" at The Pear

Jennifer Perkins-Stephens & Michael Wayne Rice

Right now at The Pear Avenue Theatre you have a rare chance to see a top notch production of Lorraine Hansbeery's, "A Raisin in the Sun."
This is  a funny, moving, and thought provoking production. Apparently, there are very few tickets left, so go to the web site and order them right away.

Here is a link to a review of the show by Ben Marks of KQED.

DIRECTED BY
ALDO BILLINGSLEA and
SARA CAPULE

Cast
Mrs. Johnson – René Marquerite Banks
George Murchison – Alec F. Brown
Joseph Asagai – Bezachin Jifar
Mr. Karl Lindner – Keith C. Marshall
Lena Younger/Mama – Kendra Owens
Ruth Younger – Jennifer Perkins-Stephens
Walter Lee Younger – Michael Wayne Rice
Travis Younger – William David Southall
Bobo – Dimitri Woods
Beneatha Younger – Yhá Mourhia D. Wright

"A Raisin in the Sun" at The Pear Avenue Theatre, shows through July 10, 2011.
Get Tickets Here.

Cole Porter's "Silk Stockings" - Don't Miss It!

I happen to be in the cast of  this fantastic Cole Porter musical with 42nd Street Moon in San Francisco's Eureka Theatre. Silk Stockings is a rarely performed show and our audiences are loving it.  The show runs through May 22nd. There are lots of laughs, excellent music, and some pretty darned good dancing! Watch the short video below for all the background information about this production. Get your tickets soon, it's selling out.

 

May 4 - 22, 2011
The Eureka Theatre

Silk Stockings
Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath & Abe Burrows
Directed by Greg MacKellan
Runtime: approximately 2.5 Hours

Orphée presented by Ensemble Parallèle

Eugene Brancoveanu as Orphée

Haunting, hypnotic, and dreamlike: these are the words that best describe Ensemble Parallèle's production of Orphée, presented for two evenings at the Herbst Theatre. The audience of the sold-out Herbst was full of excited anticipation for this San Francisco premiere . Orphée, composed in 1991 by Phillip Glass, is a “homage” to the famous french avant-garde artist and film director, Jean Cocteau. Orphée, based on the Greek myth of Orpheus, is the first part of a trilogy inspired by Cocteau's film La Belle et la Bête and his novel Les Enfants Terribles. Orphée is also a musical homage to various influential composers heard in the films, Bach being among them.

The Founder, Artistic Director, and Conductor of Ensemble Parallèle, the sprightly Nicole Paiement led her orchestra with vitality and passion. The opera began with the full orchestra on stage, and the cast occupying small landing spaces stage right and left of the main stage. With a nod to Cocteau's films, Stage Director Brian Staufenbiel in collaboration with video artist, Austin Forbord, utilized impressive floating framed video panels that enhanced the feeling of the blurring between the upper-world and the underworld, one of the major themes of the piece, and of Cocteau's film. As the opening scene came to an end, the orchestra slowly began to descend on an hydraulic platform and the action moved to the main stage where David Dunning's cubist set enhanced the feeling of “unreality” that the opera strove to express.

The score has the repetitive style, reminiscent of Glass, while also containing subtle nods to Kurt Weill, Bach and others. The cast was uniformly exceptional. Each performance was passionate, and well acted, and the voices were transcendent. Eugene Brancoveanu in the lead role of Orphée, conveyed the sense of loss and conflict required of the part and he did it with absolute commitment. Marnie Breckenridge, Princess of the Underworld, handled her difficult role with grace. She had the task of being both loving and evil. It's a hard thing to pull off, but she did it and she sounded fantastic. John Duykers, Heurtebise, was particularly impressive. His ability to convey a sense of loyalty to his princess, while at the same time, caring for the plight of the mortals was touching. The highlight of the piece was Act II. As the curtain rose the audience was introduced to the Underworld. Before us, in red and purple light was baritone, Phillip Skinner, playing the role of Judge. Flanked by a dragon, spewing forth steam, he stood nearly twenty feet in the air, wearing a white wig that was at least five feet high. It was an impressive site. His amplified baritone voice and haunting physicality created an riveting piece of theatre. The audience was also treated to three talented circus artists representing henchman of the underworld. Marina Luna hung from a fabric suspended from the ceiling where she performed acts of gymnastics that seemed to defy gravity. Rou Cyr Artist, David Pozanter, managed to create amazing feats on what can only be described as a gigantic hula hoop. Placing his body inside the hoop he circled the stage as the hoop carved its figures.

Phillip Glass has a particular gift of creating an atmosphere that seems to draw upon the subconscious and to cause the listener to feel as though they've just woken from a dream. Ensemble Parallèle succeeded completely in creating a spellbinding performance true to the intent of Glass and enhanced by superb acting and visual effects. 

www.ensembleparallele.com

Death of a Salesman at the Pear Avenue Theatre

John Beamer, has created a wonderful short video trailer that really captures the spirit of our production.
Death of a Salesman runs through March 20th at The Pear Avenue Theatre in Mtn. View.
Tickets are available at www.thepear.org.

"Death of a Salesman" Coming to The Pear Avenue Theatre, February 25th

Jackie O'Keefe (Linda), Jeff Clarke (Biff), Jeffrey Adams (Happy), and Don DeMico (Willy) Star in "Death of a Salesman"

I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to direct what some believe to be the greatest American play ever written. Years ago, I had the chance to play the role of Biff in a local production. Now I have the chance to help an entire cast perform Miller's take on family and The American Dream.

The show opens on February 26th at The Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View, CA.

For tickets and more information go to www.thepear.org.

"Clybourne Park" at American Conservatory Theater

What an absolute treat it was to attend the opening night performance of the West Coast Premier of Clybourne Park at A.C.T. This play is an outstanding piece of writing and is bound to become an American classic. Reminiscent of Albee in style, you find yourself laughing hysterically at racist jokes, verbal and physical abuse, and severe political incorrectness.

Neighborhood association representative Karl (Richard Thieriot, right) explains the differences between the races to Francine (A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program graduate Omozé Idehenre) and Albert (A.C.T. core acting company member Gregory Wallace). Photo by Erik Tomasson.

The cast, all part of the A.C.T. core acting group, is outstanding. They nail the comedy and the irony of this play over and over again. Wednesday's audience all rose to their feet without hesitation at the conclusion of the performance. Jonathan Moscone, the Artistic Director of Cal Shakes directed this project and turned a great script into a perfect script, with his economic yet subtle direction. One thing I loved about this production is that the actors never moved around just for the hell of it. No one went anywhere unless there was a good reason. Actors often want to get up an walk around and often directors let them do it even if it dilutes the power of the words. That never happened in this production. In fact, Act II was nearly completely stationary. Most of the actors never left their lawn chairs.

You MUST see this play. It is destined for greatness. I expect that it may win the Pulitzer and the Tony.

It runs through February 20th. Get tickets here.

Cast

Rene Augesen (Bev/Kathy ) Anthony Fusco (Russ/Dan) Emily Kitchens (Betsy/ Lindsey) Gregory Wallace (Albert/Kevin)

Manoel Felciano (Jim/Tom/Kenneth) Omozé Idehenre (Francine/Lena) Richard Thieriot (Karl/Steve)

Creative Team

Bruce Norris (Playwright)
Jonathan Moscone (Director)
Ralph Funicello (Scenic Designer)
Katherine Roth (Costume Designer)
Alexander V. Nichols (Lighting Designer)
Jeff Mockus (Sound Designer)
Beatrice Basso (Dramaturg)
Elisa Guthertz (Stage Manager)
Megan Q. Sada (Assistant Stage Manager)

A Good "Deed" is Done

Diane Tasca & Bill Jones in "No Good Deed"

The Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View, is now showing the world premiere of Paul Braverman's, "No Good Deed". Last night's performance was an absolute blast. Bravo to The Pear for daring to do something completely different. The show is written and performed in the style of  "film noir", and surprisingly it shines. The performances were all outstanding and under the direction of Michael Champlin, the show has the perfect mix of true "film noir" mystique, and ironic humor to keep you entertained for a unique two hours of intimate theatre.
The show runs through next Sunday.

Tickets: thepear.org

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.

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. 

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

Tickets: http://www.therrazzroom.com/

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.