Alice Childress’ Trouble in Mind Revived at the Aurora

For its 19th season the Aurora revives the 50’s play Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress depicting the prejudices of being a black actor on Broadway. A company of black actors, one white actress, and a white director and writer attempt to stage an anti-lynching play on Broadway. Trouble ensues when the main actress in the play within the play (“Chaos in Belleville”) Wiletta Mayer (vivaciously played by Margo Hall) refuses to play mother’s role as a stereotyped character who encourages her son to admit to a crime. The director ignores Wiletta and tells her to go on rehearsing without making more comments. Wiletta interprets the mother’s lines in a mocking tone and then suddenly ceases to act and bursts out to the director: “Would you send your son to be murdered?”

This line is the focal point of the play’s dramatic action that expresses the inhuman treatment of blacks by whites in forcing them to be portrayed as stereotypes and to abandon their struggle to own their dignity as well as bend to the superiority of the white man. Throughout the play there are a number of lines—often comedic— that refer to the conflict between whites and blacks. “White folks can’t stand happy negroes,” says one character that provokes laughter. Delivered comically these lines attenuate the playwright’s direct jabs concerning the racial tension of the era.

Playwright Alice Childress had already combated perspective producers of her play depicting colored actors on Broadway. After rewriting the play for two years because they refused her critique of the racism problem on Broadway and obliged her to make changes to muffle the truth, she withdrew her play.

Robin Stanton’s expert direction and the fine cast that brought the audience to a standing ovation were the most vital and strongest contributions to this production.

Childress’ 50’s play is highly relevant today in America, as well as globally, as it mirrors the struggle to combat racism and liberate those imprisoned by the shackles of prejudice.

Trouble in Mind plays until Sept. 26. For information call 1 510-843-4822 or visit www.aurora.org

Dr. Annette Lust

Sept. 2010

Speech and Debate

Teenagers Discovering the Truth About a Supposed Sex Scandal

What has such a dull title, Stephen Karam’s Speech and Debate, now undergoing its Bay Area Premiere at the Aurora Theatre’s 18th season, got to do with the play’s content concerning a sex scandal? Not until we see the play do we understand a threesome of maladjusted teenagers’ efforts to comprehend and eventually bring freedom of expression and tolerance related to a town sex scandal by starting a club entitled Speech and Debate. They hope that this will allow them to be heard as they probe into the details of how Salem, Oregon’s mayor became involved with a blonde male student at their school. In addition, Drama Queen Diwata, who started the club with openly gay Howie and school journalist Solomon, also promotes her musical, which lauds sexual freedom. At one point in the musical they disrobe, Diwata wearing a nude body stocking, and the boys in their underwear that hilariously brings the house down.

As they grow closer, the play appears to revolve around the threesome’s findings about themselves and their own sex lives - how does it supposedly bring solutions about what it means to be an adult? Do these teenagers probing into their own acts bring about a clearer understanding of the reasons for adults’ actions? One leaves the show believing these teenagers’ persistent third eye has clarified, to the point of understanding and forgiving the doings of adults. As bothersome as they can be, their sincere attempt to understand themselves and their roles in respect to another generation may, by the same token, enlighten adults.

Director Robin Stanton handles the confining use of space at the Aurora and carefully balances the placement of her characters in each scene in which the actors successfully play to the audience on three sides at a fast moving pace that befits the energy of teenagers.

Jayne Deely as Diwata creates a clever go-getter teenager who makes the action go round by luring the two unwilling males into making her club survive and her musical recognized. Even when she begins to succeed, she never abandons her teenage critical perspective about how the media misunderstands her innovative aspirations. Jason Frank’s “comme il faut” or proper allure renders his Solomon a serious, justice-pursuing character who ends up adapting to the craziness of his adventurous partners. Maro Guevaro, who was a Fine Arts major and is a freelance graphic designer, created an intriguingly dramatic portrait of a repulsive gay interested in nothing else except searching for a sex partner. Hodi Hornlien offers a good characterization of a conventional adult teacher and reporter that contrasts with the youthful mentality of the threesome.

The use of such projections as a café to clarify that the table and a chair before us is in that café on screen, or to show typical scenes of American life, seems unnecessarily distracting.

Although some critics devaluate the play as being a series of light TV sketches with trite content and no solid dramatic conflict, while it is highly comical and entertaining, it also provokes serious thought about how today’s teenagers can bring a breath of fresh air to alleviate the social constrictions of today’s adults.

Speech and Debate plays until July 18th. For info and tickets call 510-843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org. Dr. Annette Lust

50th Anniversary of the Fantasticks

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Fantasticks is re-imagined in a world devastated by Global Warming to bring new resonance to its theme of hope and of facing the truth before one can grow.

SF Playhouse Artistic Director Bill English’s approach is to set this fable of love in a post-environmentalcollapse landscape designed by Nina Ball. It isn’t clear that his concept adds much to this 50th Anniversary production that opened Saturday, June 19. However, English’s staging as always is playfully charming.

The story of the Fantasticks is by author and lyricist Tom Jones. Harvey Schmidt’s pleasant score is played by the by accomplished Music Director Robert Moreno with a solo piano. The simple allegorical story features elements of traditional musical theatre, commedia dell’arte and vaudeville. The show begins and ends with a familiar “Try to Remember” sung by the entire cast and led by Tarek Khan who plays El Gallo. He has a smooth and resonant baritone and masterfully commands the stage with his voice and his sly comedic timing.

Sepideh Moafi plays The Girl (Luisa) and Jeremy Kahn plays The Boy (Matt) who fall in love. Sepideh Moafi’s delightful Luisa steals the show whenever she’s onstage. Jeremy Kahn’s haircut and his infectious grins captures his innocence.

Louis Parnell is Matt’s father Hucklebee, and Joan Mankin is Luisa’s mother Bellomy, at times comrades in a plot to trick their children into marrying, and at other times, enemies. These two wonderful comedians will play off each other as well as harmonizing and sharing with each other their frank irritation and exasperation with their children.

Ray Reinhardt stands out as Henry, The Old Actor, a flamboyant, befuddled thespian, whose faithful sidekick is Yusef Lambert as Mortimer, the Man Who Dies. Their slapstick episodes brought much laughter to the audience. Norman Munoz plays The Mute, deftly on hand to provide props and create the mood or a wall when needed. 

Costumes by Nina Ball were particularly effective and imaginative as was her apocalyptic ruins of a set. Barbara Bernardo’s choreography of Mankin’s and Parnell’s dance routines is a sheer delight.

The Fantasticks will have a long run at SF Playhouse until September 4, 2010. For tickets, call 415-677-9596 or go online at www.sfplayhouse.org. Coming up next at SF Playhouse on October 2 will be the Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy. Flora Lynn Isaacson

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Love and Revenge at Porchlight Theatre Porch Light Theatre Company opened their 10th Anniversary Season in Ross on June 19 with “Les Liaisons Dangereuses adapted by Christopher Hampton. Co-directors were Ann Brebner and Ken Sonkin.

Adapted from a 1782 novel written in the form of a series of letters, by military strategist, Choderlos de La Clos. This play is a study in strategy, intrigue and cruelty. The plot focuses on the Marquise de Merteuil (Tara Blau) alternating with Anne Darragh) and the Vicomte de Valmont (Nick Sholley), rival who use sex as a weapon of humiliation and degradation all the while enjoying their cruel games. There targets are the virtuous (and married) Madame de Tourvel (Rebecca Castelli) and Cecile de Volanges (Kelly Elizabeth Anderson), a young girl who has fallen in love with her music tutor, the Chevalier Danceny (Eric Rhea).

In order to gain their trust, Merteuil and Valmont pretend to help the secret lovers so they can use them later in their own treacherous schemes. A complicated unfolding of interconnected and self serving schemes and betrayals ensues with reputations ruined and negative outcomes for all. The climax of the play boasts a sword fight between Valmont and Danceny which is noted for its excellent choreography.

Rounding out a strong cast of supporting players includes Molly Noble as Cecile’s mother Madame de Volanges, Candace Brown as Valmont’s understanding Aunt, Madame de Rosemonde, Thais Harris in an exceptional performance as Emilie, a courtesan and Don Wood as Azolan, Valmont’s servant.

The action of the play takes place during one autumn and winter in 1785 in various salons and boudoirs in and around Paris that are the sumptuous rooms of pre-Revolutionary France. Set Designer, Ron Krempetz gives us a turquoise background with a pink floor containing a green square at the center with a blue diamond in the middle. Costume Designer, Todd Roehrman deserves a great deal of credit for his lush, period costumes of the gloriously attired aristocrats. 

Les Liaisons Dangereuses plays through July 10, 2010 at the Redwood Amphitheatre at the Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. For tickets call 415-251-1027 or www.porchlight.net. Flora Lynn Isaacson

ACTORS WANTED FOR BAY AREA AUDITIONS OF THE 26th FALL FRINGE OF MARIN FESTIVAL-AUGUST 24/25. SHORT PLAYS CONSIDERED FOR UPCOMING FRINGE OF MARIN FESTIVALS For info call (415)-673-3131 ( 10 a.m. to noon) or email jeanlust@aol.com.

July 2010

All My Sons Revived at S.F. Actors Theatre

Arthur Miller’s 1947 Tony Award winning play All My Sons, made into a popular film in 1948, opened on Friday May 15th at the S.F. Actors Theatre. The action takes place during World War II and centers around the Kellers and the Deevers who are neighbors living side by side and whose fathers in both families were involved in knowingly selling faulty airplane cylinders that caused the deaths of twenty-one aviators. The father of the Deever family has been imprisoned while, due to supposed illness, Joe Keller avoided being incriminated and imprisoned when the probing took place. Meanwhile Ann Deever, engaged to Larry Keller, at war overseas and feared to be to have been killed in action, is being courted by brother Chris Keller. The members of both the Keller and Seever families suspect Joe Keller’s guilt. Their probing of Joe Keller about not confessing and not making up for his act gradually unveils the playwright’s intention to write a play entitled “All My Sons” that offers a strong message about human responsibility

Centered on guilt and blame, material pursuits, and moral liability to society and other humans, the protagonist is finally brought to admitting that his act was immoral. As he reads a last letter from his son at war about his involvement concerning the death of the twenty-one aviators Joe Keller cries out “They were all my sons!” The playwright has ingeniously shared with the audience the revelation of the hero’s psychological and social condemnation that grabs and holds our interest throughout the dramatic action.

The actors in this production, directed by Joyce Henderson (who also plays Kate, Joe Keller’s wife) and Jonathan Musser as assistant director, live up to the challenge of portraying this intricate psychological conflict. Tandy Hurst is highly convincing as the clever and cowardly business man Joe Keller, who attempts to rationalize his immoral act until the end. Joyce Henderson as Kate Keller is the dynamic force around which most of the action takes place. Nahry Tak as Ann Deever in love with Chris Keller is played as a gentle unassuming young girl who quietly makes everyone aware of their moral responsibilities. Nicholas Russell offers a strong portrayal of the heartbroken son persisting to make his father amend his deed. Vlad Sayenko’s plays George Deever as a son embittered about his father’s imprisonment. Sue Baylis’ Larissa Archer is a cheerful, smiling young mother and the remainder of the cast, Eric Pederson as Dr. Jim Bayliss, and Phil Goleman and Linnae Caudy as Frank and Lydia Lubey create believable interpretations.

The Actor’s Theatre production of All My Sons captivates the viewer through a powerful revelation of truths that bring about high levels of dramatic tension involving moral and social conduct . It also incites a self examination of one’s own unethical actions that could affect others who are likewise “all one’s sons.”

All My Sons continues through June 26th. For info and tickets call 415-345- 1287. Dr. Annette Lust

Last Girl Standing at San Francisco Playhouse

A hit at last year’s Humana Festival, Allison Moore’s Slasher, that opened earlier this month at the San Francisco Playhouse, is a comedy-thriller about an actress cast as the final girl in a slasher flick only to find her outraged mom determined to shut the exploitative production down.

According to Artistic Director Bill English, “There is something truly unique about Allison’s feminist take on the ‘low budget horror genre,’ a field totally dominated by men and scandalously exploitive of women. By setting her protagonist’s coming of age story in the milieu of ‘schlock horror’ she puts a great spin on the struggle of a woman to forge an identity against impossible odds while skewering the macho world at the same time. Trapped between her mom’s knee-jerk feminism and her director’s lust for titillation, Sheena turns the tables on the power structure from within while being exploited by it.”

Slasher is set in a small town and focuses on a sad family consisting of a bitter crippled mom in a wheelchair (Susie Damilano), a brainy younger sister Hildy (Melissa Quine) and the older sister, the beautiful Sheena (Tonya Glanz), who works as a waitress in a bar called Buster’s for a minimum wage.

Set Designer Bill English cleverly moves the action back and forth from a construction area where low-rent filmmaker Mark Hunter (Robert Parsons) films his bloody scenes to the domestic living room where Sheena and Hildy are dominated by their mother, Frances, to the bar, and Mark’s hotel.

Robert Parsons excels as a sleazy director finding his next big star, the “Last Girl” for the movie in a bar (the Last Girl is the woman who will be killed last, therefore the one with the most screen time).Tonya Glanz, as the seemingly innocent blonde teenager, Sheena, is hilarious and impressive.  SF Playhouse co-Founder and Producing Director Susie Damilano plays Sheena’s demented mother Frances to the hilt.  Cole Alexander Smith is convincing as a young film student eager to work at any price.  Melanie Sliwka’s contributions are versatile as the other woman on the set, a cool t.v. reporter and a member of the Holy Shepherd League Church.  Jon Tracy is the director of the many short scenes which happen instantly, one after another.  This lively spoof on slasher films is both ambitious and brilliant.  

Slasher runs through June 5 at the SF Playhouse (www.sfplayhouse.org or 677-9596). Also running at SF Playhouse, Stage 2 is the Apotheosis of Pig Husbandry by William Bivins, directed by Bill English through June 12.

Coming up next at SF Playhouse from June 11-September 4 will be The Fantasticks by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt and directed by Bill English. Flora Lynn Isaacson

A Feminist View of Success

Set in 1980’s London, at the Top Girls Employment Agency, Top Girls by feminist playwright, Caryl Churchill, opened May 21st at Ross Valley Players. Top Girls tells the story of an ambitious career woman, Marlene (Loring Williams), who has just been appointed head of the firm. Her success moves between fantasy and realism, time and space, poverty and affluence as it reveals family secrets and sacrifice. Top Girls features a wonderful all female ensemble including Michelle Darby, Lina Makdisi, Carolyn Power, Susan Donnelly, Theresa Miller, Melissa Claire and Chelsea Stone. Director Cris Cassell has acccpmplished skillfully a difficult task of making these many characters come to life through their speech with a variety of dialects including upper class British, Scottish, japanese, Italian, Dutch, Cockney, and Suffolk.

Top Girls will continue to play through June 6th. For tickets call (415) 456-9555 or go on line at http://www.rossvalleyplayers.com. On Sunday, June 27th from 2:00p.m.-5:p.m. at the Barn Theatre, Marin and Art and Garden Center, Ross Valley Players will be celebrating their 80th Anniversary. At $28.80 a ticket, there will be a buffet with wine and scenes from RVP shows through the decades. Coming up next at Ross Valley Players from July 16th-August 15th will be The Middle Ages by A. R. Gurney directed by Billie Cox. Floralynn Issacson

June 2010

Berkeley Rep’s New Minimalist Musical: Girlfriend

The catchy title of Girlfriend in the recent world premiere of composer, lyricist, and playwright Todd Almond and Matthew Sweet (music and lyrics) directed by Les Waters sparks our curiosity early in the dramatic action and even more as the action continues and only two male students remain on stage to go see the same movie night after night.

And as the action continues there is little mention nor any appearance of a girlfriend except when Mike mentions that he has broken up with her. And aside from the songs both males sing and their dances there is a paucity of dramatic action and dialogue that when present is sparse. Yet it is that very paucity that feeds our curiosity and retains our interest throughout.

This minimalist dramatic action and dialogue is also what gives the music and lyrics their due. The music and lyrics of such pieces as “I’ve Been Waiting,” “We’re the Same,” “Your Sweet Voice,” “You Don’t Love Me,” “I Wanted to Tell You” from the 1991 album “Girlfriend” suit the youthful naiveté and the timid sweetness of these two young students in the early stages of their love affair.

Ryder Bach creates an irresistible, innocent, lovable child-like student waiting for an invitation from Mike (Jason Hite), a sports loving, conventional type student who surprises himself becoming attracted to Will.

Joe Goode’s youthfully vivacious choreography brings variety and dynamic movement to the more static moments of the characters’ fearful hesitation to approach one another.

David Zinn’s set likewise is minimalist. A sofa also represents seats in a car and a pull out bed.

Finally it may just be this minimalist dramatic action and dialogue and the banal simplicity of the lyrics that provide the very refreshing originality of Girlfriend.

Girlfriend plays until May 9th. For info call 510-647-2949. Or visit berkeleyrep.org Dr. Annette Lust

Ibsen’s John Gabriel Borkman A Relevant Melodrama

Directed by Aurora’s Barbara Oliver in the melodramatic style of the late nineteenth century, this new challenging version created by David Eldridge, retains the flavor of this genre and period.

The play opens with Borkman’s wife Ella ( Karen Lewis) and sister-in-law Gunhild (Karen Grassle), twin sisters, exposing the dramatic action in the salon while former prisoner Borkman (James Carpenter) is pacing the floor above the living the room.We learn that former rich banker Borkman has spent eight years in prison and five on the upper floor, like a sick wolf in a cage, estranged from his embittered wife after embezzling funds a la Bernie Medoff from his clients. To clear the family name Ella will engage their young son Erhart (Aaron Wilton) while the lonely and ill Gunhild also wants to lure the young man to live with her. But Erhart wants to free himself from their claws to live his own life and find happiness with the divorcée Fanny Wilton (Pamela Gaye Walker).

This character based, next to the last of Ibsen’s dramas, is considered one of his most fierce or barbarous. It offers a number of high voltage scenes such as the one in which a frail elderly Borkman angrily storms out of the house into the wind and snow to find the path to freedom. Each character is dynamically portrayed. James Carpenter’s Borkman is the stubborn, power hungry, self serving male who has sacrificed love in order to continue ruling over an imaginary empire of wealth. His wife Ella is the moral strong-willed spouse and his sister-in-law, the woman he once loved and gave up for power who is hardened because of losing Borkman, still finds compassion for him and has directed her love to his son Erhart. Jack Powell’s interpretation of Borkman’s sole friend Vilhelm brings some comic relief to the action as the eccentric poet. Aaron Wilton’s Erhart plays the youthful male in search of passion and happiness. Lizzie Calogaro interprets the simple minded maid and the naïve violinist daughter of Vilhelm .

Despite the use of an exaggerated theatricality in some parts of the production, the cast rises to the challenge to make the action relevant and the emotions believable and dramatically compelling.

Sets by John Lacovelli make use of every inch of the playing space and costumes by Anna Oliver lend period splendor to the ensemble.

John Gabriel Borkman continues through May 9th. For information call 510-843-4822 or visit aurorathatre.org Dr. Annette Lust

34th Annual Bay Area and Beyond Theatre Awards Ceremony

On Monday, May 3, 2010, the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle proudly hosts their 34th Annual Awards Ceremony to celebrate Bay Area theatre excellence during 2009. Awards will be given at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Lobby for outstanding achievement during 2009 in: Touring, Over 300 Seat Theatres (Drama and Musical), 100-300 Seat Theatres (Drama and Musical) and Under 99 Seat Theatres (Drama and Musical).

The complete list of Nominees is at theatrebayarea.org/programs.

Representing the print and electronic media, the Circle will announce the winners of 37 Drama awards and 38 Musical awards from 250+ nominated actors, designers, productions, and more reviewed in 2009. Over 400 productions were seen in 2009 by the 23 Circle critics reviewing theatre from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco to Concord.

Following the economic disasters of 2002, the Circle’s corporate donations disappeared. And the theatre galas that had been an eagerly-anticipated annual event with 400-plus attendees became small invitation-only affairs for award winners only. But this year with the generous support of the Actors’ Equity Association (sponsor of this year’s event), the Circle once again invites the public to gather and celebrate! These parties are tremendous fun and feature an electric atmosphere of award hopefuls and appreciative theatre-goers. For one fun night only, the fourth wall is stripped away, and those amazing actors are up close and personal for elbow-rubbing and/or admiring from afar.

Actors’ Equity is the proud sponsor of the SFBATCC Awards. Actors’ Equity, which represents over 1000 professional stage actors and stage managers in the Bay Area, shares with the Critics Circle a common goal to support professional Equity theatres in order to improve the livelihood of the artists who work in those theatres.

All are invited to join the Circle in applauding the talented theatre folk who make magic on our local stages. In addition to presenting the Awards, there will be light refreshments and entertainment. Dress is business casual to formal. And, hey, there’s free parking.

34th Annual Awards Ceremony on May 3 (Monday, doors open at 6pm, awards begin at 7:30pm) at Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Lobby, 3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($20) are available at brownpapertickets.com or may be purchased at the door the night of the event ($20 cash only). Tom Kelly and Dr. Annette Lust

May 2010

Preview :
The Little Prince

The popular Little Prince by Saint Exupéry, one of the most read and reread book by adults and children, combines the adventures of the Prince on his visit to the planet Earth with the wisdom of the author about how the characters the Prince meets waste their time on futile concerns. Rather we learn that “it is the time that we waste on other human beings that makes them so important.”

We first meet the Prince when the aviator, representing the author has landed his plane in the desert to repair it. The Prince questions the pilot as he does others characters he meets about their activities on Earth. Among them is the Business Man who is so busy counting the stars that he tells the Prince he cannot be disturbed. When the Prince meets the haughty King and mentions he likes sunsets, the King offers to order a sunset for him. The Prince, a keen observer of the vanity and folly of humans concludes that all of these grown-ups are strange beings preoccupied with superficial values. “it is only with the heart that one can really see; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” It is these human truths that we encounter throughout the story that make The Little Prince a work of compassion and depth.

The play, adapted from the French by Annette Lust, will be performed by Bay Area actors along with 11 other short pieces by Bay Area playwrights at The Fringe of Marin on weekends from April 16 through May 2 at Dominican University and in Santa Rosa on January 25th as well as later in other Bay Area venues.

Info: (415) 673-3131 or visit www.FringeofMarin.com. Dr. Annette Lust

34th Annual Bay Area Theatre Critics

The biggest theatre gathering of the year promises to be on Monday, May 3, 2010, when the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle proudly hosts its 34th Annual Awards Ceremony to celebrate Bay Area theatre excellence during 2009. Awards will be given at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Lobby for outstanding achievement during 2009.

The complete list of Nominees is at theatrebayarea.org/programs.

Representing the print and electronic media, the Circle will announce the winners of 37 Drama awards and 38 Musical awards from 250+ nominated actors, designers, productions, and more reviewed in 2009. Over 400 productions were seen in 2009 by the 23 Circle critics reviewing theatre from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco to Concord.

Following the economic disasters of 2002, the Circle’s corporate donations disappeared. But this year with the generous support of the Actors’ Equity Association (sponsor of this year’s event), the Circle once again invites the public to gather and celebrate in a fun and electric atmosphere of award hopefuls and appreciative theatre-goers.

Joining the Circle 23 years ago, I can attest that we are a wide-ranging bunch of strong personalities who span about a 50-year age range with 15 male and 8 female critics who all concur that there’s an outstanding variety of theatre excellence throughout the Bay Area to be recognized and celebrated.

All are invited to join us in applauding the talented theatre folk who make magic on our local stages. In addition to presenting the Awards, there will be light refreshments and entertainment. Dress is business casual to formal. And, hey, there’s free parking.

Tickets are on sale now! 34th Annual Awards Ceremony on May 3 (Monday, doors open at 6pm, awards begin at 7:30pm) at Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Lobby, 3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($20) are available at brownpapertickets.com or may be purchased at the door the night of the event ($20 cash only). Tom Kelly, Annette Lust

A Star Is Born in COM’s Hamlet

David Abrams stars as Hamlet at the College of Marin. He is audible and natural in his every speech. 

His Hamlet is not mad for a single moment, he is playing mad. At the outset, the Prince is depressed by his father’s death, his uncle’s election to the throne, and his mother’s remarriage. Under the circumstances, his melancholy is not excessive. Not until he meets his father’s Ghost (Charles Isen) has he the slightest inkling that his Uncle Claudius (David Kester) has committed murder and his mother Gertrude (Molly Noble), adultery.

She has no knowledge of her present husband’s crime, though of her innocence, Hamlet is not certain.

This sold-out play is superbly directed by James Dunn, a veteran director at the College of Marin for 45 years. Dunn has a wonderful cast which includes David Kester (Technical Director for Fringe of Marin Festival) in a magnificent performance as Claudius, a foe well worthy of Hamlet’s steel, Molly Noble in a regal and sympathetic portrayal of Gertrude, Ian Swift as a professorial Polonius, Hamlet’s late father’s senior counselor, and Ariel Harrison as Ophelia, daughter of Polonius and in love with Hamlet, who goes from a giggling schoolgirl to a really sexy mad scene.

This sold-out production closed March 21 could stand a longer run so more people could enjoy it. Flora Lynn Isaacson

Den of Thieves Hits the Jackpot

In the hands of playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, Director Susi Damilano, and a talented cast, Den of Thieves is a very entertaining two hours of theater. This clever comedy that opened March 13 is a crime-caper tale crossed with a 12 step program satire to often hilarious effect.

Maggie (Kathryn Tkel) is a shoplifter looking to change her life. Paul (Casey Jackson) is her sponsor in a 12 step program. Flaco (Chad Deverman) is her charismatic, but jealous, drug-dealing ex-boyfriend.

Boochie (Corinne Proctor), Flaco’s girlfriend, is a topless dancer. When this unlikely foursome band together to steal $750,000 in unprotected drug money, they become prisoners in a mob boss’ (Joe Madero) basement. Told they have until sunrise to choose one person to die and three to donate their thumbs, the four engage in verbal gymnastics as they struggle for self awareness and self acceptance in a highly energized battle for survival with organized criminals, little Tuna (Ashkon Davaron), Sal (Peter Ruacco) and Big Tuna (Joe Madero). 

Den of Thieves through April 17 | SF Playhouse. Tickets 415-577-9596 or at sfplayhouse.org. Next: “Slasher” by Allison Moore, April 28-June 5. Flora Lynn Isaacson

The Boys Next Door

Tom Griffin’s 1984 play, The Boys Next Door is about four mentally challenged men in a group home.

The first person we meet is Arnold, played by David Yen whose disabilities include being excessively neurotic, always wanting to set up a plan, and being easily distracted. The next roommate is Lucien, played by Wendell H. Wilson, mentally retarded with the maturity level of a 5 year old. We next meet the Social Worker, Jack, very well played by Timothy Beagley in his portrayal of the turmoil inside of himself, who comes to visit the boys. The third roommate we meet is Norman, played by Josh List, who is given the donuts that were not sold at a local donut shop. His character had the most interaction with others outside the household. There were a few scenes at the weekly dance facility, and he was able to fall in love with Sheila, charmingly played by Monique Sims. The final roommate of the group is Barry in a stellar performance by Brook Robinson who sees himself as a golf pro. We see him slip through reality as he interacts with different people. A scene between Barry and his father, played by Jeff Garrett, was very emotional and life-changing for Barry. 

Continues through April 18 at Ross Valley Players Barn Theatre. Tickets, 415-456-9555 or visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com.Coming up next: Top Girls May 21-June 20. Flora Lynn Isaacson

April 2010

A First Class First Grade

Under the guise of a light comedy, Joel Drake Johnson’s The First Grade that opened on Jan. 28th at the Aurora, develops both a humorous and heart wrenching description of the disconnect in today’s family life. Although the audience is kept laughing non-stop by the witticisms of leading lady—first grade teacher Sydney (performed with authority and dry humor by Julia Brothers) and the sarcasm of her daughter Angie (Rebecca Schweitzer) and husband Nat (Warren David Keith), we cringe over the realistic revelations the author offers concerning the inability of family members to connect emotionally.

The dramatic conflict centers around Sydney’s pride over her little students learning sophisticated words beyond their age. In this production Sydney praises the audience members as if they are her students. During a meeting with a physical therapist (Tina Sanchez), Sydney’s questions make the therapist burst out crying. Sydney then returns home to face a depressed daughter who drugs her child with Ritalin and deals with her divorced live-in husband both of whom blame her for their fate. A surprise visit by her therapist brings on the play’s dramatic climax.

Tom Ross’ expertise as a stage director builds to the dramatic climax with light humor that turns to more grave matters with the therapist’s visit. Sets by Nina Bell, lights by Jarrod Fischer and wardrobe by Alicia Coombes bring out the contrast between the cheerful elementary school ambiance and the estranged atmosphere of Sydney’s home.

The First Class may come off as a silly sitcom to some, but Johnson’s blunt portrait of the disintegration of family life prompts the spectator to reexamine the lack of communication that complicates marital and family life.

Ibsen’s John Gabriel Borkman plays at the Aurora April 2-May 9. For info 510-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org. Dr. Annette Lust

Animals Out of Paper—An Origami Tale

This West Coast Premiere by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Amy Glazer at the SF Playhouse couldn’t be more beautifully acted and staged. When Animals Out of Paper begins with an imaginative set by Bill English, we are in the cluttered studio apartment of Alana Andrews (Lorri Holt) an Origami artist who has cut herself off from the world. Her marriage is over and her dog has disappeared and she can’t get back to folding.

Andy (David Deblinger), a high school math teacher, amateur “folder” and doting fan invades her seclusion with a proposition to take a particularly brilliant student of his, Suresh (Aly Mawji), a calculus genius with an uncanny talent for origami who is grieving the sudden death of his mother. Origami is a metaphor for the feelings of loss that Alana and her new protege suffer. Paper, as the characters discuss, is irrevocably altered as it is folded. It will never again be what it once was. Folds leave scars, just as losses do. 

According to SF Playhouse Artistic Director Bill English, “Three souls; an innocent boy, a teacher afraid of life, and an origamist frozen by the scars of too many folds meet at a crossroads and each takes from the other, something that makes it possible for them to move on.”

Lorri Holt gives an engaging and multi-layered performance as the protagonist, Alana. David Deblinger’s Andy is an example of the power of positive thinking with the book of blessings he has been carrying around since he was 12, carefully recording all his blessings. So far, he’s counted 7000 blessings.

Aly Mawji is quite convincing as the origami genius and troubled hip hop kid. He got quite an applause with his verbal origami of hip hop rhymes.

At the helm of this production is Director Amy Glazer who directs her talented cast to bring Joseph’s quirky characters to life with dynamic conviction. Remarkable playwright, Rajiv Joseph reminds us that we are all animals made out of paper: our hopes tenuous and our happiness fragile.

Up next at SF Playhouse will be Den of Thieves by Stephen Adley Gurgi , March 10-April 17. Tickets, 415-677-9596 or www.sfplayhouse.org. Flora Lynn Isaacson.

Fabrik: A Norwegian Holocaust Tale

Inspired by Nordic and Yiddish folktales, Fabrik: The Legend of M. Rabinowitz uses hand-and-rod puppets, masks and original music to tell the story of Moritz Rabinowitz, a Polish Jew who immigrated to Norway at the turn of the century in order to escape Pogroms and persecution.

By the end of World War I, Rabinowitz had risen from poverty to become one of Norway’s leading men’s clothing manufacturers and began writing articles to combat the post-war rising tide of anti-Semitism at home and nearby Germany. He was one of the Nazi’s first targets when they took on Norway in 1940 and he died beaten to death in a concentration camp.

When the story begins, Moritz appears before his yellow and black advertisement on a black stage surrounded by his three puppeteers—Peter Russo, Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock. All are attired in black pinstripe suits with black shirts, ties and fedoras. The black on black arrangement brings the essence of a European cabaret in the 1930’s. But Moritz, by contrast, is nattily dressed in an ivory suit, tie and hat, evidently of his own design. He introduces himself with a song and dance, advertising his wares and professional wisdom.

Early scenes of Moritz at work or in bed with his wife possess a warm humor. But gradually, beginning with an imaginative dream sequence, in which Moritz swims through an aqueous environment, hunted by a shark-like Hitler, the mood begins to shift. As the holocaust deepens the tableaus become more expressionistic and nightmarish.

Fabrik: the Legend of M. Rabinowitz continues though February 28 at The Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida St., SF. For tickets, call 415-292-1233 or go online at tjt-sf.org.

Coming up next at The Jewish Theatre will be Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews? written and performed by Josh Kornbluth from April 8-May 11, 2010. Flora Lynn Isaacson

March 2010

Coming Home, A Storytelling Delight

Award winning playwright Anthol Fugard’s Coming Home that opened at Berkeley Rep on January 20th is a delightful adventure into storytelling based on the memories of the South African Veronica, her deceased father, and Alfred, a family friend. And beneath the lyricism of these stories is a powerful message about social injustice. After Veronica leaves the small South African town where she cares for her father (played by Lou Ferguson) to realize her dream in the big city, penniless and ill with AIDS, she returns with her little son (played by Kohle T. Bolton when younger and by Jaden MalikWiggins when older) .ten years later to the little shack where she had lived She is greeted by her family friend Alfred (wonderfully played by Thomas Silcott as the town fool), who will help her nurture her small son, whom she compares to a tiny pumpkin seed that will some day grow into a fine pumpkin. Memories of their past, of her father’s last days and of Veronica’s life in the big city are narrated and sung by Veronica (Roslyn Ruff singing and told with charm and dynamic stage presence), and by Alfred and the father’s ghost.

Well directed by Gordon Edelstein, Fugard’s magical storytelling gently transmits a relevant message that aims to bring about an awareness of the pitiful situation in South Africa and beyond of not providing for impoverished AIDS victims that has brought about the deaths of thousands. This is revealed convincingly through Veronica’s quiet and courageous persistence to resume the pursuit of her dreams for her young son to one day attend a university.

Coming Home wins us over by the poetry and wisdom of Fugard’s writing that at the same time awakens our conscience concerning one of the world’s worst plagues.

Coming Home plays through Feb 28th. Info 510-647-2949 or visit berkeleyrep.org. Dr. Annette Lust

Crossing the Borders: Aurélia’s Oratorio

Spectators at Berkeley Rep’s opening night of Aurélia’s Oratorio are from the start intrigued after a male voice on a phone insists that the female protagonist respond and then view an arm, a leg and finally a young woman‘s body emerging from the drawers of a dresser. They are still more stunned as, to the sounds of chamber music and gypsy jazz, the female performer swings across the stage on red streamers and performs acrobatics in the air, viewing the world upside down just as the audience does throughout the piece filled with illusionary images.

Aurelia’s Oratorio purposely defies the definition of the word oratorio, defined in Webster’s dictionary as a “lengthy choral work usually of a religious nature and consisting of recitatives, arias and choruses without action or scenery.”

Charles Chaplin’s daughter Victoria, who conceived and directed the piece, and granddaughter Aurélia, who stars in the piece, have not only continued the tradition of their father and grandfather’s silent film acting art. They have gone a step further to enhance that silent art by combining multiple theatre arts in an imaginative and original single theatrical form. As they tour across continents they readily reach audiences through mime, circus and acrobatic feats, dance, theatre of objects and illusions, puppetry and film. Their work provokes shock as well as delight..

Up next at Berkeley Rep is the West Coast Premiere of Athol Fugard’s Coming Home Jan. 15-Feb. 28. For tix and info call 510-647-2949. Dr. Annette Lust

Sweet Can’s Dance Theatre

Sweet Can, founded in 2006 by three teachers at the SF Circus Center, Beth Clarke, Kerri Kresinski, and Natasha Kaluza, has grown into a company of eight members with a mission to perform intimate circus, dance, acting and mime that interacts with the audience. In their recent second piece performed at the Dance Mission, there was a subtle underlying theme relating to our confrontation with a troubled world we can transform through our creative imagination and resources of everyday life. “Yes, Sweet Can, Can” is the company’s motto that reappears throughout the show.

This theme is portrayed at the start by four performers, directed by Wendy Parkman and Joanna Haigood, who survive the torrential effect of a devastating storm. In another scene Matt White buries his woes in an elegant dance with a broom which he woos with humor proving that interaction with everyday objects can lift our spirits.

Comical improvisation: the players race to sit on blocks and another scene tap-dancer’s bodies are covered with trash cans. Some sections are more virtuoso in style: Beth Clarke’s breathtaking slack rope and balancing of cups, Matt White’s stick balancing, Kerri Kesinki’s stunning aerial acrobatics, and Natasha Kaluza’s dizzy hula hooping. These scenes are performed to the brilliant notes of Eo, a master composer playing live music on stage with the company.

Sweet Can’s blend of clowning, acting, dance, mime and live music punctuated by acrobatic skills has opened doors and crossed artistic borders to reimagine circus as an art.

For information about Sweet Can’s future productions, visit sweetcanproductions.com. Dr. Annette Lust

She Stoops to Comedy— Gay Romp at SF Playhouse

SF Playhouse opened the West Coast Premiere of “She Stoops to Comedy” a playful gender-bending comedy by one of New York’s most innovative writer/performers David Greenspan. Set in a summer-stock production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” actress Alexandra Page (Liam Vincent) schemes to woo back her estranged female lover by playing Orlando (who everyone knows is a man) opposite her lover Alison’s (Sally Clawson) Rosalind.

Under Mark Rucker’s inspired direction, the excellent cast enlivens Greenspan’s script. Liam Vincent delivers his lines with perfect dry wit. Sally Clawson as Alison enacts her character’s wish that an actor be more relaxed. As Director Hal and his assistant, Eve, Cole Alexander Smith and Carly Ciotti provide comic relief from the intensity of the lovers. Two people steal the show, Scott Capurro (who does an amazing monologue) as Simon Languish, an aging homosexual and Amy Resnick playing two characters in conversation with each other—one the very butch Kay Fein, an archaeologist and lighting designer and the other a vain, pretentious actress, Jane Summerhouse.

Artistic Director Bill English provides a great set. Kurt Landisman’s lights were fantastic, and Valera Coble’s costumes, imaginative. Of course, without the inspired directing by Mark Rucker, this play would not be as compelling.

Next at SF Playhouse on Jan 23 will be Animals out of Paper by Rajiv Joseph directed by Amy Glazer. Tickets: 415-677-9596 or go online at www.sfplayhouse.org. Flora Lynn Isaacson

Three Sisters at the SF Jewish Theatre

In a posh home in Queen Ann’s Gate, London in the early 1990’s, Sara Goode, a twice divorced bank executive, hosts a family reunion in celebration of her 54th birthday. Sara seems more successful than her two younger sisters, with a successful career and an involvement with a distinguished member of the British peerage (Victor Talmadge).

Meanwhile, Pfeni, the youngest 40 year old sister, is enjoying her travel writing career though her life is bit embroiled in an affair with a bisexual theatre director, Geoffrey (a flamboyant Cassidy Brown). Finally, Gorgeous, who seems to have it all in the marital department, is struggling to carve out a career as an on-air advice columnist.

The three sisters know where they’ve been but are less clear on where they are and where they are going—a condition echoed in the world around them as Communism fails and Capitalism struggles to fill the void. That is a struggle in which Sara’s daughter Tess (Sarah Schwartz) is about to involve herself firsthand, smitten as she is with a young Lithuanian ex-patriot (Matt Hooker) who wants to return to his homeland to witness its liberation.

Mervin (Dan Hiatt), a Zionist furrier, drops by and throws in a wrench to Sara’s well-ordered existence.

Director Aaron Davidman assembled a fine ensemble.

Coming up at the Jewish Theatre: Fabrik; the Legend of M. Rabinowitz, Feb 4-28, at 470 Florida Street. Info: 415-292-1233 or www.tjt-sf.org. Flora Lynn Isaccson.

February 2010

Fat Pig : Telling Comedy About Obesity

Neil Labute’s Fat Pig grabs you from the start because of its witty and cutting repartee between Tom, his newfound fat girlfriend Helen, his protective friend Carter, and jealous ex girlfriend Jeannie. But this highly comical repartee gradually turns to a dark side when the truth behind the playful and at times biting sarcastic dialogue concerning Tom’s choice of a girlfriend his peers liken to a “fat pig” begins to affect his feelings for Helen.

When Tom meets the portly librarian, Helen, at a fast food restaurant and her friendliness prompts him to share her table, he is soon drawn to her frank unconventionality. They begin dating and develop a very private relationship deprived of the inclusion of Tom’s friends or others. “This little pig stayed home” is an increasingly disturbing rhyme to Helen. For, although Tom is falling in love with Helen and feeling liberated and happy with her spontaneous and open-minded nature, he harbors a growing concern about her physical appearance.

Labute’s so-called comedy about obese people not only contains a revealing truth about society’s condemnation of oversized women or men. It goes a step further to present the power of social prejudice and the failure to uphold one’s own choices in the face of conventionality. As the play progresses Tom begins to be seen as a coward for not being true to himself and not defending his right to love whomever. Will he choose to go with the flow of accepting what others think?

The two-fold conflicts render Labute’s Fat Pig dramatically powerful. And it is the playwright’s brutally truthful depiction of the hero’s dilemma that is not fully apparent until the play’s end that provides the piece with psychological and sociological meaning.

Directed by Barbara Damashek on a stage arranged in horseshoe style, the play moves at a rapid pace with a quick change of scenery and of clever costumes.

Liliane Klein is a charming Helen—only somewhat obese—that makes her role believable rather than farcical and in which her smile and vitality compensate for her obesity. Jud Williford is a disturbed, on the defensive main male protagonist, filled with hesitations about his final choices. Alexandra Creighton’s Jeannie is is a highly revengeful ex lover and Peter Ruocco mixes nosiness with wit as Tom’s friend’s Carter.

Labute’s Fat Pig as his other plays promote individual choice in order to preserve the entity of the human élan. Actually his downbeat critical style lends clarity and strength to our battles with the illusions and deceptions regarding the superficial pressures of social conformity.

At the Aurora Theatre through Dec. 6th. For information call 510-843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org. Dr. Annette Lust

Communication Is Key To Saving A Life

As part of their 80th season, Ross Valley Players added The Miracle Worker by William Gibson as their second production. This is also the 50th anniversary of The Miracle Worker that premiered October, 1959.

Set in Alabama in the 1880’s, the play tells the real-life story of Helen Keller, a young blind, deaf and dumb girl who experienced an attack of scarlet fever. Unable to communicate with the world, she suffers fits of frustration and violent tantrums. Her desperate parents seek help from the Perkins Institute who send Annie Sullivan, a visually impaired young woman to tutor Helen.

Through kindness, persistence and forceful stubbornness, Annie finally breaks through the barriers that separate the frustrated Helen from the rest of the world and teaches the girl a method by which she can communicate with the people around her.

Director Linda Dunn skillfully directs her cast of twelve (including some adorable children) in a well paced natural clip. The flow is seamless. There are no weak actors.

Samantha Martin is a must-see young actress in the physically and emotionally demanding role of Helen. She balances relentless frustration with naive awakening. Samantha is Helen!

This play is truly the story of Annie Sullivan, who was the miracle worker. Megan Pryor-Lorentz gives Annie a dichotomy of forthrightness and doubt, strength and vulnerability, courage and bravado, humor and drama. Lorentz is an actress who easily meets the many challenges of Annie.

Lauren Doucette (Helen’s mother) portrays a genteel, southern lady with a backbone when it comes to her child. Tom Reilly (Helen’s father) gives a strong performance as a newspaper publisher who possesses much power, both in the business world and his home. Brook Robinson (Helen’s brother) shows the clear growth of his character’s inner self. Karol Strempke gives a bossy performance as Aunt Ev who is a talkative woman who tries to be helpful. Mary Jane Baird as Viney, the servant in charge of the daily housework. Rounding out the cast is Ray Martin as Anagnos, Annie’s counselor at the Perkins Institute for the Blind. He places Annie in the Keller’s home as a governess for Helen. He is loving and kindly with Annie but can also be stern when necessary.

Set Designer Michael Cook and Lighting Designer Ellen Brooks arrange multiple areas representing indoor and outdoor space, clearly defined by an interior of the house and various exterior areas with variations of spotlights.

The Miracle Worker plays at the Barn Theatre, Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross through December 6. For tickets, call 415-456-9555 or go online at www.rossvalleyplayers.com. Flora Lynn Isaacson

The Wolf and the Shepherd Find Roots

The Jewish Theatre has just opened its first season under its new name with the World Premiere of Stateless: A Hip-Hop Vaudeville Experience.

Stateless begins with a narrator saying that “your story started long before you were born...” It was inspired by Wolf’s discovery of his own vaudeville heritage as a descendant of the Gebruder Wolf (Wolf Brothers), one of Germany’s more popular songwriting and performing duos for four decades until forbidden to perform by the Nazis in the 30’s.

The play’s loose plot revolves around Dan Wolf’s journey to Germany to reclaim the legacy of the Gebruder Wolf, a legend in Hamburg in the early 1900’s. Accompanying him is his best friend, Tommy Shepherd, a black, hip-hop artist, unable at this time, to embark on a similar search for roots.

Their journey pauses for comic repartee, song and dance and rapping. These two come at the audience with call and response, raucous claps, and foot stomps. And they have perfected their Marx Brothers style of comedic timing.

After Wolf discovers his roots in Hamburg, Shepherd—envious of Wolf’s success, laments he barely knew his own father, or great grandparents or where they originated. At this point, they take a detour to New Orleans for Shepherd to check into his African-American roots.

Co-performer Keith Pinto portrays an array of characters and works the turntable DJ during the hip-hop numbers. He also sings, dances and acts amazingly well. Director Ellen Sebastian-Chang has given us a hip-hop vaudeville experience as a fine way to represent a history of two cultures as the friends search for their roots.

I found Stateless to be very Brecht-ian in the use of cardboard signs on stage right and the use of videos on the back wall.

SThe results are mixed, though spirited performances from Dan Wolf, Tommy Shepherd and Keith Pinto keep Stateless fun and engaging especially for the young who can relate to the material more readily.

Stateless continues through Dec. 6 at the Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida St. Info and tickets, call 415-292-1233 or www.tjt-sf.org.

Flora Lynn Isaacson

December 2009

Tiny Kushner Shorts

Mirroring The American Experience at the Berkeley Rep.

Tony Kushner’s West Coast premiere of his Tiny Kushner that opened in October at Berkeley Rep is in effect a “Big Kushner” regarding the panorama of contemporary American viewpoints the playwright is able to depict in five short acts. Presented from a fast paced East Coast perspective, the shorts are directed with the expertise of Berkeley Rep’s artistic director Tony Taccone.

The first play, Flip Flop Fly, catches the audience’s attention in its portrayal of two culturally opposing females, a popular young American song writer (played by a vibrant Valeri Mudek) and the sophisticated, exiled and deposed Queen Geraldine of Albania (authoritatively interpreted by Kate Eifrig) who meet on the moon after their deaths. We are reminded of Jean Paul Sartre’s No Exit in which a lesbian, an attractive female, and a male survive side by side despite their differences. In Kushner’s play the women’s contrasting characters are presented in vaudeville style ending in a hilarious song and dance routine.

Veloren Sein or Ambivalence revolves around a gay patient (performed by an endearing J.C. Cutler) in love with his lesbian psychiatrist (Kate Eifrig), with their lovers Jim Lichtscheidl and Valeri Mudek hovering about their partners while the patient begs his unconvinced shrink to love him.

The third, a solo entitled East Coast Ode to Howard Jarvis, is brilliantly played by Jim Lichtscheidl who presents individuals from all walks of life who devise a scheme to prove they are exempt from paying taxes because they do not legally exist. This clever fantasy, although overloaded with details and never ending verbosity, has the audience racing to keep up with the narrator’s rapid delivery and quick change of characters.

In Dr. Arnold A. Hutschnecker in Paradise, we return to afterlife on the moon where a psychoanalyst (convincingly played by J.C. Cutler) complains to psychiatrist (Kate Eifrig) that he spends five days a week analyzing Richard Nixon. This amusing satire on psychotherapy revealing the character of Nixon is highly entertaining.

Only We Who Guard the Mystery Shall Be Unhappy revolves around Laura Bush in Paradise addressing three little Iraqi children who died with thousands of other children because of American aggression. Laura Bush, well interpreted by Kate Eifrig, tries too justify husband Bushie’s actions by condemning Saddam Hussein as a cruel dictator who needed to be overthrown. This piece has more of a moral tone than the four others in its implication of America’s tactics that caused the death of innocent children.

Kushner offers sharp perceptions of the American scene set in a fantasy of the afterlife depicting the fantastical aspects of psychoanalysis. Fantasy and truth about America experiencing a universe in peril presented on a light note is what renders Kushner a meaningful and profound recorder of our times.

Tiny Tony plays through Nov. 29. For info and tickets call 510-647-2949 or click on BerkeleyRep.org. Dr. Annette Lust

The First Day of School

When the kids are away, the parents will play. The San Francisco Playhouse just opened the World Premiere of The First Day of School by Billy Aronson to kick off its new season.

Susan (Zehra Berkman) and David (Bill English) meet outside an elementary school on the first day of school after dropping off their children. They begin by comparing notes on their kids new teachers. With a whole day to kill, they decide to fulfill a mutual fantasy and begin propositioning other parents. They introduce themselves by saying to a fellow parent, “Do you want to have sex with me?” The comedy takes flight by the reactions they get.

Susan begins by speaking to Peter, played by a flustered and neurotic Jackson Davis. David follows suit by speaking to Kim played by Marcia Pizzo as a righteous PTA activist, who turns him down. Next, David speaks to Alice played by Stacy Ross as an unapproachable, high powered attorney.

Scene II opens up into Susan and David’s comfortable living room beautifully designed by Bill English. Peter comes home with Susan and Alice comes home with David, and then much to David’s surprise, Kim also shows up. Peter, Alice and Kim seem to be very uptight to swing with Susan and David.

Scene III is again in Susan and David’s living room four years later where everyone is having lots of fun and this evidently has been going on the first day of school over the ensuing four years.

High school student actors Torie Laher and Myles Landberg show up, when the parents are upstairs as teens who stumble into the midst of things. Chris Smith’s smooth direction and his talented cast make the most of Aronson’s deft touch with comic situations.

Imaginative costumes suited to each character were created by Bree Hylkema and Kimberly Richards’ movement design.

In this fantastically funny new comedy by Billy Aronson I found myself continuously laughing out loud! However, our protagonists in The First Day of School yearn for a connection that will stave off their loneliness. They hurdle into sexual situations hoping to find something in the arms of others to sustain them in the empty world of conformity and daily routine. Theirs is an eternal quest and Aronson opens the skin of the mundane to expose longings we all understand.

First Day of School plays through November 7 For tickets, call 415-677-9596 or go to www.sfplayhouse.org.Up next at the San Francisco Playhouse will be “She Stoops To Comedy” by David Greenspan and directed by Mark Rucker, Nov. 18, 2009-Jan. 9, 2010. Flora Lynn Isaacson

November 2009

Twelfth Night
Around the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

Marin Shakespeare Director Leslie Currier in her opening speech to the audience mentions that Twelfth Night or All You Need Is Love is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s play by both herself and Robert Currier made into a musical version full of contemporary poetry and references.  They used about 40 tunes from the 1960s and 1970s including tunes made popular by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sonny and Cher, Carly Simon and Bob Dylan. 

In Illyria, the most hip, far out, psychedelic place in the world, beautiful girls costumed in pink welcome us to the court of Duke Orseno (William Ellsman), where we find the despondent Orseno pining for the Countess Olivia (a glamourous Cat Thompson).  We meet Viola (the lovely Alexandra Matthew) who was washed up on the seacoast with the Sea Captain in a strong performance by Terry Rucker singing “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”  Viola laments her twin brother Sebastian (Alex Curtis) whom she thinks has drowned in the shipwreck.  Viola disguises herself as a man and joins the service of Duke Orseno in order to remain safe. As Cesario she represents the Duke to convey his love to the Countess Olivia. However, the Countess falls hook, line and sinker thinking she is a man.
 Feste, a wandering clown and songster has returned to Olivia’s house with a guitar and sings many songs in an amazing impersonation of Bob Dylan!  His performance is balanced against the play’s weightier character, the abused haughty servant Malvolio (Jack Powell) remarkably performed by Jack Powell.

The plays other comic business is boisterously interpreted by Director Robert Currier as Sir Toby Belch and Camilla Ford as Sir Andrew Aguecheek with Shannon Veon Kase as a mischievous Maria.  This threesome is pivotal in providing this production with its lively pace. William Elsman is amusingly broad as Duke Orseno and Steve Budd is convincing and appealing as Antonio, the loyal sailor who befriends and helps Sebastian played with amazing dexterity by Alex Curtis. Cat Thompson gives a winning performance as Olivia and Alexandra Matthew has an intensity delightful to behold as Viola. 
 Imaginative costumes are by Abra Berman and Cynthia Pepper’s choreography is delightfully comic.  The psychedelic set by Mark Robinson with signs of peace and ying/yang adds to the flavor as does Billy Cox’s amazing sound design. 

For information about Julius Caesar playing at Forest Meadows Amphitheatre at Dominican University in San Rafael call 415-499-4488 or go online at www.marinshakespeare.org.

Flora Lynn Isaacson

Happy Days by Samuel Beckett

Directed by Jonathon Moscone. At Cal Shakes in Orinda. Reviewed by Carol Dunne

Life can get sticky at times, where we find ourselves stuck in various situations that imprison us with the help of our own neuroses—our inability to let go of our various issues. We get stuck in various complicated situations like relationships or jobs; we can get bogged down in a house or books or furniture, the list is endless. In Beckett’s play Happy Days, we witness the quintessential metaphor where the main character is stuck in an enormous mound of dirt, it’s a veritable burial ground that’s slowly swallowing her up. Winnie cannot move from the waist up, she’s literally, figuratively and metaphorically “up to here in shit”. We relate to her as her imprisonment in this dirt seems so familiar. We feel her stickiness, her growing desperation, her denial of the horror of her situation as the dirt climbs higher and higher promising to eventually bury her.

The only thing that keeps Winnie going is her ability to speak. She babbles, filling up her days with noise and also with her daily habits like brushing her teeth and combing her hair. We see the reason for Winnie’s noise, it’s the ability, amidst the misery, to somehow keep up a “happy face”. We see that it’s the little things in life that keeps her going, the little joys, the small stuff that helps her through her days.

Dr. Patty Gallagher’s amazing performance is full of emotional power and conviction, she held us enthralled for the entire play as she expressed a huge range of emotion with only her face and portrayed layers of meaning with her eyebrows, her eyes, and her mouth.

Winnie conjures up our worst nightmares—an absurdist world where our lives are meaningless. She forces us to take a closer look at what we’re doing with our days; are we wasting our time on Twitter, endless emails and meaningless babble or are we writing that book, painting that picture and making our music. Are we leaving something behind—a legacy that will survive the burial ground that inevitably creeps up daily on our lives like a calming balm, till there’s nothing left but dirt.

Playing thru September 6th at Cal Shakes in Orinda. For information about future productions at Cal Shakes visit www.CalShakes.org

Theatre You Can Eat
Four Plays by John Robinson Directed by James Reese

Last Saturday evening I attended four short one-act plays under the heading “Theater You Can Eat” presented by The People’s Theatre. It was performed upstairs at the restaurant at Pena Pachamama on Powell Street in San Francisco.

There were four short pieces written by John Robinson; “Wake Up Cup”, “The Toss Up”, “Ceviche” and “Chocolate”. These short dramas were brought to life by four outstanding actors, Treacy Corrigan, Tim Hendrixson, Mary Knoll and John Patrick Moore, unfortunately, the writing left much to be desired. The performances were the best thing about these pieces as the writing seemed dull and lackluster.

The first piece “Wake Up Cup” was about what happens when you’re addicted to coffee and there’s a power outage first thing in the morning. A strange and neurotic married couple prattle on without the help of their morning java. They are forced to interact with their hippie, green, free spirit neighbors, and the comparison between the couples was the most interesting facet of this piece. Mary Knoll and Tim Hendrixson are excellent as the neurotic couple.

The second piece was called “The Toss Up” about a cooking competition and some fabulous salad dressing.

“Ceviche” was the third piece about a couple in Peru tasting the local Ceviche dish—a raw fish dish that is marinated in some wonderful sauce that “cooks” the fish. The last piece was called “Chocolate” and in this piece the actor Treacy Corrigan does an wonderful job as the secretary who is addicted to chocolate. These were excellent actors who all breathed life into these boring lines.

These short one-act plays are a call out to writers in the Bay Area, we desperately need some good writing so these outstanding actors can do their thing. Playing at Pena Pachamama in San Francisco through September 6th.

John Robinson’s one actWork of Art will be performed at the Fringe of Marin in November and December, 09 For information call (415) 673-3131 mornings 10 to 2 p.m.For information about forthcoming Theatre You Can Eat productions visit Theatre You Can Eat on line.
Carol Dunne

Robot’s Revenge Rocks Redwoods

Robot’s Revenge, a relevant pantomime, written by Dr. Annette Lust (Artistic Director of the Fringe of Marin for 23 seasons) was performed for a capacity audience at the Redwood Retirement Center, Mill Valley, Thursday, July 23, 2009.

Robot’s Revenge was masterfully directed by professional Russian Director Sasha Litovchenko from the Ukraine.  Pantomime is one of the most complicated forms of drama to direct as it relies strongly on body language. Sasha achieved amazing precision for each character’s movement.

Music specially composed for this production was by noted composer Aaron Jay Kernis and performed by pianist Evelyne Lust. There was a musical theme for the entrance of each character. First we have The Robot superbly performed by Erica Badgeley who won 2nd place honors for Best Actress at the Marin Fringe Festival. Johann Schiffer entered next with a strong performance as The Engineer who controlled The Robot. The Engineer’s Wife was delightfully portrayed by Christine Clemmons and Lauren Rigor rounded out the cast as a dignified Company President.

The Bay Area Theatre Critic’s Circle Awards for Best Play went to Robot’s Revenge on May 5, 2009.; Robot’s Revenge had a very clever curtain call and was enthusiastically received by the audience in the question and answer session in which they compared it to the silent movies.

Also on the bill was “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (abridged with an Ax) and adapted and performed by veteran Fringe actor Steve North. Steve North opened his presentation seriously reciting the Coleridge ballad dressed all in black. There were two darling children onstage, Jonah and Delphine who exhibited a great deal of stage presence as they stood with the Albatross. After the Ancient Mariner kills the Albatross, Steve North sheds the black coat, wears the Albatross around his neck and performs high comedy reminiscent of Steve Martin and he had the audience roaring.
Flora Lynn Isaacson

September 2009

Jack Goes Boating at the Aurora

The perfect play for a summer evening in Berkeley, opens on a couple of New York limo chauffeurs, Jack (Danny Wolohan) and Clyde (Gabriel Marin) discuss their work and a girl named Connie (Beth Wilmurt). Jack, who has just met Connie, is smitten with her, but the shy limo driver does not know how to go about pursing his dream.

Director Glaudini succeeds in turning a banal, old-fashioned dramatic action into an animated, highly comical one that holds our attention throughout. The simplicity and innocence of old-time values has the audience laughing at their naïveté and even rooting for their lily-white principles.

Jack’s realization of his dream comes at the end of the play when a rowboat descends from the ceiling — Jack and Connie climb in and row away, to a standing ovation.

Until July 19th. For info/tickets ($40-42 510.843.4822 or auroratheatre.org.

Dr. Annette Lust

“Romeo” Rocks Cal Shakes

As pop/rock rhythms energize the youth, Cal Shakes launches its 35th Anniversary with director Jonathan Moscone’s Romeo and Juliet, a modern-dress tragedy of a violence-wracked urban environment is a vivid, engrossing and energetic remounting of the familiar story.

The young lovers played with sincerity by Alex Morf and Sarah Nealis are most engaging in Act I a masterpiece from the opening of the play with Julian Lopes-Morillas’ regal Prince and a solid cast: James Carpenter and Julia Eccles as Lord and Lady Capulet, Catherine Castellanos, a bawdy nurse, Lady Montague, Catherine Castellanos and Jud Williford brilliant performance as Mercutio, L. Peter Callender as Romeo’s father, Dan Hiatt’s hopeful Friar Lawrence, Craig Marker’s slick Tybolt, and Liam Vincent’s “noble” Paris.

Info: Noel Coward’s Private Lives July 11 to Aug 2 at California Shakespeare Theatre 510-548-9666 or calshakes.org.

Flora Lynn Isaacson

Unfulfilled Russian Dreams/Three Sisters

Porchlight Theatre Company presents Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters,” a story that takes place in the Russian countryside around 1901.

When the play opens, it is Irina’s (Thais Harris) 20th birthday. Officers from the local garrison sit around as Olga (Julia McNeal) the oldest sister, fusses with preparations for a party. The third sister, Masha (Tara Blau) dressed all in black, sits reading. Their brother, Andrei (Jon Wesley Burnett) stays in his room and plays his violin. All three live in their memories of a happier past or dream of a rosier future. The people they gather around them include Kulygin (Ryan O’Donnell), a schoolteacher, and Masha’s husband. Vershinin (Nick Sholley), the new officer in town, becomes Masha’s lover. Chebutkin, the aging drunken army doctor is played by John Mercer.

Rebecca Castelli plays Natasha, an upstart country girl who not-so-subtly takes over, after marrying Andrei. Craig Neibaur plays Baron Tuzenbach who has loved Irina for 5 years. Solyony, who also loves Irina, is played by Michael Barr, a social misfit.

There are wonderful cameos; Candace Brown as the family nursemaid, and Don Wood as a hearing-impaired porter. The two orderlies, played with much versatility by Lowell Weller and Jarrod Quon.

Director Susannah Martin seems well versed in Chekhov. She pays strict attention to the specific gestures of each character and demonstrates the importance of the unspoken word. Under her capable direction, all of the performances are like vignettes. Martin has put together a moving, funny and thought provoking production of Three Sisters.

Thursday-Sunday at 7 p.m. through July 11 at Redwood Amphitheatre, Marin Art and Garden Center, Ross. Tickets are $15-$25. Phone 415-251-1027 or porchlight.net

Beyond the Mirror

West Coast Premiere of Afghan Theatre of Exile and Bond Street
Theatre’s Beyond the MIrror at the S.F. International Arts Festival


In their West Coast appearance of their world wide tour of Beyond the
Mirror, the New York Bond St. Theatre, present the Afghan’s struggle
to survive three decades of military domination. To the accompaniment
of the gentle soft notes of the rubat, anAfghan ancient lute.

Beyond the Mirror begins with a video montage of beautiful Afghan snow-capped rolling hills and valleys, followed by scenes of quiet streets
and inhabitants peacefully shopping in market places. Soon frenzied scenes show soldiers and villagers running from bombs. Bond Street Theatre’s unique incorporation of multiple physical styles conveys its humanitarian issues. Searching for a universal
physical language, they have performed in international festivals, workshops and training in refugee camps and post-conflict areas. They are a company that is
making a difference.

Beyond the Mirror continues to tour nationally and internationally. For information bondst.org/activities/12/us-premier-of-beyond-the-mirror

Dr. Annette Lust

July/August 2009

You, Nero

In Amy Freed’s You, Nero, after meeting Scribonius (Jeff McCarthy), the playwright who will pen Nero’s life to present on stage, the audience immediately begins to rollick with laughter due to the provocative dialogue and content about the lascivious, power-obsessed Roman Emperor who calmly and shamelessly exterminated many of his citizens as well as his own mother. After the playwright meets with Nero (Danny Scheie) the latter requests that he write the story of his life in order to regain favor with the Roman citizens. We meet Nero’s despotic and ambitious mother (Lori Larsen) who plotted to make him Emperor, his over sexed mistress Poppaea (Susannah Schulman), his gay lover (Kasey Mahaffy), philosophers (Mike McShane and Richard Doyle as Seneca), silly eunuchs, and sensual slaves. These court scenes offer comically lewd action that excites and retains audience interest.

Directed by former artistic director of Berkeley Rep, Sharon Ott, caricatural comic effects are obtained through a relaxed modern day mockery of Nero’s reign that contrasts with the extravagantly decorated sets (Erik Flatmo) and elegant costumes (Paloma H. Young) that portray the ancient formality of his court. The Roman atmosphere is also satirized through the use of contemporary expressions thrown in to provoke laughter, such as Poppaea’s remark to Scribonius when she seduces him:” I work on this body, Buster!” or Nero’s compliment to Scribonius’s talent as a writer: “You could sell sauerkraut to the gods!”

You, Nero plays until June 28 at Berkeley Rep. For information call 510-647-2949 or visit berkeleyrep.org.

Dr.Annette Lust

Three on a Party at Theatre Rhinoceros

In a collaboration between Word for Word Company with Theatre Rhinoceros, an evening of three works representing major 20th century queer writers began with Gertrude Stein’s Miss Furr and Miss Skeene, performed by Joanne Winter and Sheila Balter, about two women taking music lessons who meet circa 1911. They are described by Stein as being “regularly gay” most of the time in order for the author to portray lesbians as being a natural sexual preference and occurrence. Tightly directed by Delia MacDougall, the constant repetition of the words “gay” and “regular,” along with the highly stylized movement and elegant period clothing, render this piece particularly enticing, despite an overuse of the words “gay” and “regular” a la Gertrude Stein that still at times provides comedic effects.

Tennessee Williams’ Two on a Party represents the sexual freedom of the ‘50s in which a lonely lush named Cora and a gay Billy party their way through the days and nights and grow fond of one another. This well crafted story, imaginatively directed by artistic director John Fisher, is powerfully enacted by Joanne Winter as Cora and Ryan Tasker as Billy.

Suddenly Home by Armistead Maupin, also inventively directed by John Fisher, offers a late 20th century view of homosexuals who, through their experience of living together, are capable of imparting wisdom about marriage and commitment. Here Will (Brendan Godfrey) and partner Jamie ( Ryan Tasker) prevent Tess (Sheila Balter) from marrying for the sake of marrying.

Word for Word, just back from performing at the American Library in Paris, continues to stun us with its faithfulness to the literary text.

Three on a Party plays until June7. For info, call-861-5079 or visit www.theRhino.org.

Dr. Annette Lust

Dead Man’s Cell Phone

In the Bay Area Premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Jean (Amy Resnick), picks up a cell phone belonging to a dead man called Gordon (Bill English) that changes her life.  Jean has an instant epiphany that makes her feel connected to Gordon (she learns his name from one of the callers). That connection takes the form of a promise to stay with him as long as he needs her and then wanting to comfort his loved ones and try to make the memory of him live on positively in their minds and hearts. 

Jean’s interactions with Gordon’s haughty mother, Mrs. Gottlieb (Joan Mankin), his widow Hermia (Rachel Klyce), his younger brother Dwight (Jackson Davis) and Gordon’s long-time mistress, Carlotta (Florentina Mocanu) helped Jean piece together the puzzle of what sort of man Gordon was. Her journey is the play’s through-line, but each of the other characters gets a chance to shine.

Director Susi Damilano’s clever direction includes an outstanding cast, starting with Resnick who makes Jean an endlessly eager to please, bottomlessly empathetic woman. Mankin’s Mrs. Gottlieb is hilarious. When we hear from Gordon, speaking from the other side, Bill English makes him both cocky and undeniably charismatic. Rachel Klyce is riotously funny as the thoroughly soused Hermia. Chic and mysterious, Mocanu’s mistress is the anti-Jean. Jackson Davis is the tender Dwight, Jean’s endlessly caring male counterpart. .

Dead Man’s Cell Phone takes us on a journey down a rabbit hole with Jean to explore the meaning of connection in the 21st century.

The play runs at the SF Playhouse through June 13. For tickets, contact 677-9596 or www.sfplayhouse.org

Flora Lynn Isaacson

June 2009

Revival of Pinter’s Homecoming at Off Broadway West

Off Broadway West’s third season in San Francisco offered a challenging production of one of Pinter’s sixties plays. In The Homecoming a dysfunctional family comprised of Max, an elderly tyrannical retired butcher (Graham Cowley), his pimp-like son Lenny (Nick Russell), son Joey training to be a boxer (Conor Hamill), son Teddy, a philosopher (Gregory Daniels), his daughter-in-law Ruth (Sylvia Kratins) unhappily married to Teddy, and Uncle Sam (Randy Hurst), are involved in a struggle to each hold one’s own side by side. When Teddy appears with his mysterious and silent wife Ruth she is taken for a harlot by Max who was never told that Teddy is married. She soon gains the affection of Max and his two other sons, flirting with them with sexual innuendos. Ruth ends up abandoning Lenny to replace Max’s deceased wife Jessie, taking on the role of mother and wife and possibly earn money through her favors to the men Lenny provides.

With a fine cast of actors with impeccable British accents, the play is expertly directed by Joyce Henderson in minimalist style, particularly in Act One where the action is under acted. As in all of Pinter’s plays the dialogue is brief with hidden meaning behind the characters’ words. Comic moments, particularly in Act Two, alleviate the atmosphere of suppressed violence that bring about outbursts, particularly on the part of Max who periodically tears into everyone.

Scott Nordlund’s dingy living room set is cleverly arranged in an intimate space in which the audience is seated in velvet covered armchairs three quarters around the stage and that originally was a meeting hall of the S.F.Alliance Française some fifty years ago.

This ironic portrayal of the inner workings of family life is dynamically presented in Off Broadway West’s highly symbolic, meaningful, and disturbing portrait of the family members attacking one another and attempting to survive emotionally in tight quarters.

The Homecming plays until May 2. For information about the company’s View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller July 2-August 22 , call 510-835-4205 or visit www.offbroadwaywest.org.
Dr. Annette Lust

A Gripping Strindberg’s Miss Julie at the Aurora

Mark Jackson’s direction of Strindberg’s 1888 Miss Julie about male female and class power struggle with characters that are prey to passion and lust has audience members captivated by the high powered action between the flirtatious Miss Julie and her sexually attractive footman Jean under the moral gaze of Christine the cook, Jean’s fiancée.

What is most moving in this tragic and highly emotional drama is Jean’s mounting power over the authoritative Miss Julie who, once she has given in to her sexual impulses, slowly descends through her shame for her action and deception over her servant’s true intentions. The ups and downs in the emotional scale through which Jean progresses from passionate lover to ambitious social climber, dragging along Miss Julie, is dynamically portrayed by Mark Anderson Phillips as Jean and Lauren Grace as Miss Julie, the seductive count’s daughter, under the calm eye of the cook Christine, played by Beth Deitchman.

Mark Jackson’s direction of Miss Julie with multi emotional nuances not only has the actors expressing fully through their physical movement but also through moments of static attitudes, prolonged glances, and silence filled with meaning.

This is one of Aurora’s most puissant productions, an exceptional treat offering outstanding dramatic content, expert direction and acting.
Miss Julie plays through May 10. Clifford Odet’s Awake and Sing plays from August 21 thru September 29. For information call 510-843-4822 or visit www.auroratheatre.org.

“Robot's Revenge” Steals the Show at Fringe of Marin's Program II

"Robot's Revenge--A Relevant Pantomime" by Dr. Annette Lust and directed by Sasha got this critic's vote for most outstanding production. Erica Badgeley also gets my vote for Best Actress as The Robot.  Christine Clemmons was delightful as the Engineer's Wife, Johann Schiffer added able support as the Engineer, and Lauren Rigor interpreted the Company President. Sasha's masterful direction and precise directorial movements are reminiscent of both Morris Panych (ACT-The Overcoat) and Marcel Marceau.

Best Solo Performance in Program II goes to Lucas McClure for his interesting piece, direction and performance in "McBooth" that, besides being entertaining, offered a history lesson about Shakespeare's Scottish play.

"Special," written and directed by Ann Meredith, about five women whose high school math teacher molested them, in their later years are able to reclaim their stolen innocence by speaking the truth. Meredith's play is both disturbing and riveting and gets my vote for Outstanding Ensemble Work with Kathryn Kim, Ida VSW Red, Lynae Ades, Roy Anne Florence and Mandy Omoregie.

In "One Shoe On," a humorous bachelor party by Dr. K. Adour directed by Robin Schild, two of the characters were doctors known by retired physician, Dr. Adour. There were several "in jokes" and Robin Schild made the most of comic bits of business. Outstanding performances were by Rick Roitinger as Steve and Byron Lambie as Harvey, a zoologist.  The lead character, David Rouda, was cleverly directed in a pratfall, getting tangled up in the cord of the phone. "One Shoe On" was well paced with a surprise ending. 

Stanton Close’s comedy "Darcy's Sex Scene," directed by Nina Lescher, is based on a clever intrigue- in which a women's writing group meets and Darcy (Jill Cagan) presents her story to the group.  Two actors downstage, Jonathan Vittum and Pami Malinova, comically pantomime what Darcy is reading to the group.  Darcy is at times inaudible and the acting of Sara James, Gretchen Olivero and Gretchen Lee Salter is uneven. 

"Plutarch's Lives, A Darkish Autobiographical Comedy," written and performed by Donna Budd and directed by Christine McHugh, takes us to the heroine's hometown in North Carolina. Although Donna's perfect dialect was hard to understand due to soft projection, she had a sly sense of humor and an intelligent script, expressive eyes and gestures.

Opening night of Program II, Saturday, April 18, 2009 played to an enthusiastic sold out house with standing room only. The Fringe of Marin Festival offers stimulating and entertaining theatre that discovers fresh voices and brings in the community to participate as either artist or spectator.

The Fringe plays through May 3, 2009. Performances are Fridays-Saturdays, at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. at Meadowlands Assembly Hall, Dominican University, San Rafael,CA.  For information, call 415-673-3131. Flora Lynn Isaacson

Bloody Violence Over a Cat at the Rep

If you enjoy violence-especially bloody violence-check out Martin McDonagh’s Lieutenant of

Inishmore directed by Les Waters at Berkeley Rep. From the opening of Act One we witness a dead cat with a bloody severed head supposedly run over by Davey (Adam Farabee) who brings the cat home to the older Donny (strongly played by James Carpenter) claiming she/he (difficult to know which sex because the character has hair and body like a girl and voice like a boy) did not run over the cat with her/his bicycle but only picked it up. In the next scene we see the owner of the cat, Padriac (Blake Ellis) torturing a drug dealer hanging upside down by cutting off his toes. After Padriac calls his father Donny to ask if all is well including his beloved cat and is told his cat is recovering, he dashes home. At one point he encounters young IRA fighter Mairead who becomes enamored of him. After he reaches home to discover his cat has been replaced by a red one covered with black shoe polish he prepares to shoot both his father and Davey. The intrigue becomes even more bloody when three IRA fighters appear to shoot Padriac for having splintered from the original IRA. After Padriac along with Mairead shoot the three members which brings for the the truth about how his cat died, there is still more blood spattered about when Padriac orders his father and Davey to cut up the three members’ bodies. And when Mairead finds her red cat had been killed by Padriac more shooting occurs.Finally as Donny looks up to see Padriac’s cat emerge from a corner of the ceiling the audience is shaking even harder with laughter over this bloody intrigue of mistaken identity.

It is no wonder that McDonagh’s play was not accepted for production until 2001, five years after he wrote it due to the controversial subject matter and raw content. If one can view the play with a detached sense of humor and not take the farcical exaggerated use of blood curdling violence seriously but accept it as a good theatrical device, this dynamically staged and acted play can be hilariously funny. In fact it is reminiscent of the crude shocking buffoonery found in the Commedia dell’ Arte, one of the most vital dramatic forms found throughout Western Theatre.

The Lieutenant plays until May 17 at Berkeley’s Roda Theatre. For info call 510=647-2949 or 888 4-BRT-tix (toll-free) or visit berkeleyrep.org.

Lunatique Fantastique’s Lyrical and Heart Wrenching Found Object Puppetry

Liebe Wetzel’s revival of her piece Executive Order 9066, about the incarceration of the West Coast Japanese and Japanese Americans in camps in the Utah desert after the 1941 Pearl Harbor bombing with puppets created with found objects, is a heart wrenching creation. Similar to St. Exupéry’s Little Prince, it is meaningful, entertaining and appeals to all ages.

In her reworking of Executive Order 9066, Wetzel has refined the movement expression that renders it more emotionally moving. Here she extracts from the dramatic conflict moments of even deeper intimate feelings on the part of the Mother (comprised of an upside down teapot for her head and a piece of cloth for her gown and body) and her two sons (with two teacups for heads and cloths for their clothing and bodies) who are torn from their home and ordered to an internment camp. After they are given number tags to wear, we move to a scene in which the young boys clown around as they push a heavy suitcase toward the camp. Our hearts come to a standstill when as they face their sad destiny in the camp the boys, still fighting and playing with one another like young kids, are separated when one is drafted to fight for the Americans in the war.

In a following scene the son is killed on the battlefield. After their suitcase returns home, the executive order number tags are placed standing up in the sand to represent the graves of the dead soldiers. Once they reach home the souvenirs of the Mother’s loss of her son and their unhappy experience living in the camp is depicted through her refusal to reopen the suitcase. After the mother passes away her only son hangs on his Mother’s favorite little tree the executive order tags that turn into multiple white cotton blossoms.

The happy family life of the mother and her boys in which she teaches her children not to fight with one another and to stand up courageously against such adversity as their deportation to the camp are enacted with movement that is so subtlety and emotionally interpreted that one can not only see but also hear the characters breathing in highly dramatic moments. This is evident is such scenes as the Mother and boys’ catching their breath with terror as they read the Executive Order official notice to move into a camp or when one of the sons leaves to fight the Japanese in the American army.

Written by LiebeWetzel and Christine Young with Object Animation by Liebe Wetzel and music by Shinji Eshima, the six animator puppeteers responsible for this highly nuanced staging of the destruction of a family within a background of war performed by object puppets are Jen Colasuonno, Sheila Devitt, Anna Fitzgerald, Susie Gaskill. Benjamin Turner, and Patricia Tyler.

Liebe Wetzel’s object puppetry has reached an even higher level of lyrical and imaginative puppetry and dramatic symbolism with this recent revival of Executive Order 9066.

For information about future Lunatiqe Fantastique Productions visit www.themarsh.org Dr. Annette Lust

May 2009

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