“BEGIN AGAIN”: READY FOR A TRIP BACK TO THE BIG APPLE.

The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park is currently mounting the world premiere musical, “Begin Again” based on the Exclusive Media Film written and directed by John Carney with new music and lyrics by Pat Monahan and the Band Train. Book is by Jenna Clark Embrey and Molly Beach Murphy.

Filmmaker Carney has reimaged the live musical for more modern audiences just as he had done in “Once” (previously staged by Lamb's Players Theatre), once a film and currently a successful stage musical. 

Patrick Heusinger and Emma Busse

Having never seen either movie, my remarks can only be limited to the plays’ versions, and from what I saw, “Begin Again” is one big Broadway success after it leaves San Diego. Ironic as it may be, the setting takes place in The Big Apple with Derek McLane’s stunning sets including the New York Skyline with towering buildings and specific locations in and around the city with the Brooklyn Bridge, a Carousel, (horses up and down)  Washington Square, some basketball courts,  buildings with graffiti and all with help from projectionist David Bengali, illusion design by Skylar Fox showing floating record discs, paper cups and bottles  floating through the air, and Amanda Zieve’s lighting design is filtered through soft hues dissolving daylight into twilight. 

Cast

Gretta (Emma Busse) is a gifted songwriter in love with musician Max (Keven William Paul). Emma writes a love song for Max for his birthday. He in turn sings it for a record company, and voila! his career takes off leaving her hanging on the vine. yes she agreed, but would she want to begin again with that decision? You bet your sweet bippy. 

Emma Busse and Patrick Heusinger

As it happens, she meets and hooks up with record producer, Dan (Patrick Heusinger) whose career and longtime marriage with his wife, Miriam (Adrienne Walker) and teen aged daughter, Violet (Charlotte MacLeod) go  caput. After some push me pull you back and forth, and without a studio  to cut a record, the two decide to take a crew around new York, sounds and all, and produce an album. 

Adrienne Walker and Patrick Heusinger

Both have challenges to overcome: Dan wants to reconnect with his wife and daughter, (“Made to Break”) perhaps stop drinking and Gretta (Busse has an effectively strong voice and great stage presence) but must regain confidence and belief that her music makes a difference in people’s lives while she and Max go it on their own to get back into the music industry together. 

Patrick Heusinger and Adrienne Walker 

Together Busse and Heusinger make beautiful music (“Fake Flowers” and “Carousel”) but just when all is rolling along Max comes back into Emma’s life… but not for long. I must say Max (Kevin Williams Paul) has a beautiful voice, but is a taker and will leave Emma in the cold as soon as he can. “I Used To Know You”. 

Kevin William Paul

All the songs( there are about 25 in all) are performed live on stage by one of the most gifted ensemble of musicians seen by yours truly lately. One of my favorites, and I couldn’t help wanting to see more was Erica Swindell on the violin. How I envy her!

Emma Busse and Kevin William Paul

Other standouts include Casey Whyland  as Stevie, Gretta’s best friend who saves her from jumping off the bridge more than once. Nik Walker plays Saul, Dan’s producer and partner. So much movement with a large ensemble gives this production just the right verve to knock it out of the park in New York. 

Linda Cho designed the costumes, Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, the wigs, hair and makeup, orchestrations by Brian Usifer, lively choreography by David Neumann, sound design by John Shivers and expertly directed by Lorin Latarro, Matt Deitchman (Music Director) and Bonnie Panson (Production Stage Manager)

Emma Busse and Cast

Gretta in her own inimitable way has an uncompromising streak  running through her and if it’s not done her way, in the purest sense she will ‘Begin Again’,  her way. 

Catch this one before it hits N.Y. where the tickets will skyrocket.

 Enjoy.

See you at the theatre

 

“GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR”, A MUST SEE AT NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE

 North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach is kicking off its 45th season with a splendid production of the West Coast Premiere of Pulitzer Prize winning, Doug Wrights “Good Night, Oscar”. Oscar is Oscar Levant. 

With direction by Tom Frey and, as the man himself, by David Corlew, Levant was first and foremost one of the most gifted composers, pianists , best -selling authors, and television and radio talk show host. He was a household name in the 1940’s and ‘50’s. 

Megan Carmitchel and David Corlew

On the other side of the disc, he was a drug addict , suffered from sever depression, stage fright, hypochondria, debilitating neurosis, was a chain smoker, had twitches  and most likely was, if diagnosed today, bipolar. 

“Goodnight Oscar” relates to  a composite of Levant’s life and his famous interviews, both backstage and on stage, with Jack Paar ( Brian Mackey), on the west coast airing of ‘The Jack Paar Show’, which was new to audiences on west coast time. The time is 1948.

Brian Mackey and David Corlew

Head of the network at the time, Bob Sarnoff (Jason Maddy) was none too happy with Paar’s guest and wanted to scrap the whole interview, but Paar was insistent  and promised no controversial topics would be brought up. Little did either know that Levant’s wife June (Megan Carmitchel) had just had him committed to the hospital for shock treatments! 

For a little over 90 minutes David Corlew’s Levant was heartbreaking, breathtaking, hilarious and unpredictable. According to Oscar, “There is a fine line between genius and insanity and I have erased that line.” Paar: “And what do you do for exercise?” Levant: “I stumble, and then I fall into a coma.”

David Corlew

David Corlew, a gifted pianist in his own right, had to relearn how Levant played Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ for this show. He is nothing less than brilliant. And… what a treat at show’s end. 

Corlew, IS the star in his own show. 

Megan Carmitchel (“Rise and Fall Of Little Voice”…winner Craig Noel Award, “Streetcar Named Desire” and “Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?”) is once again outstanding as Oscar’s oft understanding, oft angry and oft sympathetic wife, June . Jay DeYonker plays George Gershwin  perfectly as the shadow figure egging Oscar along, Jason Maddy is the very angry Bob Sarnoff, and with every right to be,  Brian Mackey is a fidgeting Jack Paar to a tee. Isaiah Frazilus is fine as Oscar’s hospital orderly when June gets him a 4 hour pass from the hospital to appear on the show and Wyatt VanHazel is  a bit irritating as Paar’s gofer.

Megan Carmitchel and David Corlew

Credit Michael Wogulis for the simple set design, Matthew Novotny as lighting designer, Elisa Benzoni for costumes, Peter Herman for wigs, Tristan King for sound (“Blame It On Youth”, Embraceable You”, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”, I Got Rhythm” and Summertime?), Christopher Williams for props and Shannon Humiston as Stage Manager. 

Levant’s 1945 recording of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” was one of Columbia Records’ top-selling albums, and he was America’s highest-paid classical concert star, outdrawing the likes of Arthur Rubinstein and Vladimir Horowitz.”

For an evening of entertainment, nostalgia, heartbreak, and renewal, “Goodnight, Oscar” is your  best bet. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

When:  Runs through Oct. 11. 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays; plus 2 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 2.

Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Tickets: $63.50-$85.50

Photo: Aaron Rumley

Phone: 858-481-1055

Online: northcoastrep.org

“THEATRE PEOPLE OR THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR”

 “The Angel Next Door” currently playing at Scripps Ranch Theatre is a zany, 1940s-set screwball comedy written by Paul Slade Smith and adapted from Ferenc Molnár’s “Play at the Castle”. It is directed by Christopher Williams, no stranger to Smith, he also directed “Scapin” at North Coast Rep. recently. 

Danny Campbell, Kenny Bordieri, Melissa Fernandes and Sandy Campbell

The plot follows a pair of Broadway playwrights, Arthur and Charlotte Sanders  (Danny Campbell and Melissa Fernandes) who are trying  to "rewrite" a real-life romantic misunderstanding to save their young protégé's novel and their next Broadway hit. All of this is happening in an ‘opulent mansion’ in Newport, R.I.

Williams has gathered a strong and well -seasoned cast who show incredibly strong comedic timing. In particular, characters like Olga (Sandy Campbell who all but steals the show) as the grim, apathetic housekeeper who openly despises "theater people”, and Victor Pratt (John DeCarlo, who had me PMP with his depiction of Victor in Heaven),  as he dim-witted, narcissistic Broadway baritone. Both frequently steal the spotlight with their brilliant physical comedy and straight laced facial gestures.

Melissa Fernandes and Taylor Henderson

Others in the cast include: (Oliver) Kenny Bordieri as the ‘I don’t have a clue’ novelist and (Margot) Taylor Henderson, the cheating par amour. 

Melissa Fernandes and Sandy Campbell

The play features a classic "four-door" (Dixon Fish) set layout designed to break the fourth wall and accelerate the madcap pacing of a traditional farce. Michelle Miles is credited for the lighting, Omar Ramos sound, Duane McGregor, Props Design, Set Dressing, Painting and Heather K. Nunn with a variety of costume changes. (No one is credited for wigs)

Melissa Fernandes, Kenny Bordieri, Danny Campbell 

My only complaint is that the first act went on too long setting up the craziness for Act II. All in all, though, there is nothing more insane than the world we live in now, so enjoy a little fantasy.

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre. 

Runs through Sept. 20. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Scripps Ranch Theatre at the Legler Benbough Theatre, 9783 Avenue of Nations, Alliant International University, San Diego

Tickets: $27-$52

Photo: Ken Jacques

Phone: 858-578-7728

Online: scrippsranchtheatre.org

“NI MI MADRE” : AN ODE TO MOTHERHOOD

 Diversionary Theatre in Hillcrest is currently mounting “Ni Mi Madre” a funny, sad, clever and truthful tour de force with writer-performer Arturo Luíz Soria’s one person theatre piece about ‘life with mother’ if you will. But it’s more than that. It transitions into a tribute to his Brazilian Mother who lives in Miami. 

Hobbling about on an injured heel, recently hurt during rehearsals, with a cane, glittery boot and surrounded by a garden of foliage, a vanity and mirror and a full sized portrait of a Brazilian  goddess hanging in the background with a religious imagery, (Stephanie Osin), Soria begins his memory tale about his mother whom he calls ‘Bete’. To emphasize, he writes the word on the mirror in lipstick. 

And for the next 55 minutes we learn about Bete, her three husbands and her five children whom she physically abuses. There is jealousy  between his one sister who has her father's darker features and Arturo with his mother’s lighter skin.  To top it off, his Madre drinks to excess.  Arturo is the most challenging, of her children.  He comes out at a young age and wants dancing lessons, which she gives him,  over the objections of his macho Ecuadorian father.

Using humor and speaking in both English and Portuguese to recall the darkest  of times, Arturo manages to get us  through the most difficult of times without leaving anything out. 

Soria’s Obie Award winning show premiered off -Broadway at Rattlesnake Playwrights Theatre in 2021and now making a west coast at Diversionary Theatre under the deft direction of Danilo Gambini with Haydee Zelideth’s costume (a white off the shoulder dress, Kathy Ruvuna’s sound allowing Soria to sing songs from JLo to Madonna to Whitney, Krista Smith, lighting, with Anthony Garcia’s props and Samantha Espino as Stage Manager. 

No difficult task, this, telling our own personal story, warts and all to a group of strangers hoping it will find the ears and minds to reflect on our own upbringing and the stories that lie hidden from public. 

I’m sure that my brother and I and of course my own children will have their own versions to tell and Oh! will they be, as seen through their eyes, very different from one another. 

Arturo Luiz Soria (before his injured heel)

“Ni Mi Madre” will be playing through Sept. 6th.

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

When:  Runs through Sept. 6. 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights

Photo: Xingyu She

Tickets: $32-$72

Phone: 619-220-0097

Online: diversionary.org

“WATER FOR ELEPHANTS”

 “Water For Elephants” now on its North American tour, has finally reached San Diego and is playing at the Civic Theatre through Sunday evening.  

Based on Sara Gruen’s best -selling novel of the same name, Bruce Elice’s Book and Music and Lyrics by Pig Pen Theatre Company, “Water For Elephants” comes with its own company of circus performers including high flying acrobats, aerialists, life sized puppets, contortionists, and basically everything a traveling circus in the 1930’s needed to travel from town to town. Oh, of course there is also a love story. 

Zachary Keller and Javier Garcia

"Water For Elephants" is a memory tale about a widower, (Robert Tully playing the older Jankowski ), who runs away to join the circus, the Benzini Brothers Circus. As an unlicensed  veterinarian and out  out of work, he hop’s the train to wherever the circus heads. 

The story, like the circus, travels back and forth in time and shows Jacob (Zachary Keller) as the younger version who joins up with the circus, meets and falls in love with Marlena (Helen Krushinski), the abusive circus owner (Connor Sullivan) and ringmaster’s wife. 

Scene From "Water For Elephants"

The music and lyrics by Pig Pen Theatre Company, in comparison,  falls far short of the circus performers, juggling acts, clowns, and physical stunts. With technical elements including the life sized puppets, a huge Asian Elephant (Rosie) designed by Tony Award Winner, David I. Reynoso (costumes as well) of San Diego, and puppetry designed by Camille Labarre and her menagerie of animals the production comes alive.    

Zachary Keller, Helen Krushinski and 'Rosie'

Actually, the presentation of Rosie ‘coming out’ is worth the price of a ticket. And just for you know what and giggles, her eyelashes really blink!

Scene from 'Water For Elephants'

With original  direction by newly appointed La Jolla Playhouse director Jessica Stone, who recently won a Tony nomination for “Water For Elephants”, the circus element of the show is eye popping, breath -taking and exciting. Sadly, the score is bland, (there are 21 musical numbers) the hopping on and off circus trains is overly done and the evening stretches out for long periods of sameness. The production runs about two and a half hours.

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller

The good news is that Zachery Keller and Helen Krushinski make a believable couple. Tyler West is super as the circus clown and  the aerialists and those who fly through the air remind us that we are , in fact, in a circus. 

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller

Many moons ago while I was at a Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus (cutting classes from college) a circus clown sat on my lap and frightened the beejesus out of me. The good news is that no one from “Water or Elephants” ventured off the stage. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre. 

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. next Sunday.

Where: San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown

Photo: Matthew Murphy/MurphyMade

Tickets: $68 and up

Online: ticketmaster.com

“WE WILL ROCK YOU” ROCKS THE AUDIENCE AT NEW VILLAGE ARTS THEATRE IN CARLSBAD !

 Celebrating 25 years of productions and over twenty musical number from the rock band Queen, created quite a celebratory feeling in the lobby just off the Ray Charles Stage in Carlsbad recently.

Inside, former Teatro San Diego Associate Artistic Director, Sheldon Gomabon, (with musical directed by Erin Vanderhyde-Gross, and choreographed by Erika Kahn) takes us on a three hundred year journey into the future where algorithms control everything and authenticity is forbidden. 

Sarah Ledesma (left)  Cooper Orio (center) with cast

But the spirit refuses to be silenced after we meet up with Cooper Orio  as the dreamer-turned-hero Galileo and Sarah Ledesma,  as the fearless Scaramouche. Calling themselves “Bohemians”, who will bring this jukebox musical, by Ben Elton, back to the Rock “N Roll era, their goal is to find the holy ax, get rid of Globalsoft, their nemesis, and return to individual thinking. They run into more than a few roadblocks along the way. The greatest threats are Killer Queen (Vanessa Flores Cabrera)  of the reigning Globalsoft Corporation and his commander-in-chief Khashoggi (Audrey Ward). 

Their antics are a bit off the wall, but it matters not since so many familiar references are bandied about that one just has to smile and remember. 

               Samy Berman, foreground, as Killer Queen and Audrey Ward 

With book by British comedian Ben Elton the story, set in London,  is a bit far fetched but most in the audience came to hear (Freddie Mercury) Queen’s music especially those of us who watched the film “Bohemian Rhapsody”, his live AIDS performance which is ‘regarded as one of the greatest live performances in the history of rock music’. 

Cooper Orio our hero Galileo, who shared with me that this was his first professional singing job, has a sincerity in his voice that you almost want to hold his hand while he is singing. Sarah Ledesma, on the other hand, as Scaramouche, can be heard throughout the theatre, her voice is so strong and  Audrey Ward plays Khashoggi with a vengeance.

Credit Erin Vanderhyde Gross as Music Director, Erica Kahn as Choreographer, Jesus Hurtado for Scenic and Projections, Jaeonnie Davis-Crawford for Props, Maricela Alaniz for Costumes, Stephanie Ma’Alona for Lighting, Mia Karvounis for Wigs and Malick Ceesay for Sound Design. 

If you love “Somebody To Love”, “Under Pressure”, “I Want It All”, “No One But You”, “Another One Bites The Dust” “These Are The Days Of Our Lives” “Headlong” “We Will Rock You” “We Are The Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” you will be sure to enjoy “We Will Rock You” now playing at New Village Arts. 

On another note, Kristianne Kurner, founder and Artistic Director announced that this will be her last season with New Village Arts Theatre. 

She will be missed. But, according to her, ‘it’s time to pass the torch’. 

See you at the theatre.

And for heaven’s sake… ENJOY!

When:  Runs through Sept. 20. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad

Tickets: $45-$85

Photo: JEDZANT Photography

Phone: 760-433-3245

Online: newvillagearts.org

“HELL'S KITCHEN” HITS THE STAGE DANCING

 

The long awaited “Hell’s Kitchen”, (Book by Kristoffer Diaz, music and lyrics by Alicia Keys) Alicia Keys semi- semi-autobiographical coming of age story in the ‘90’s, has finally reached the San Diego Civic Theatre through Aug. 16th. Although Keys has a home in la Jolla, her early years were spent in Hell’s Kitchen. 

According to Keys, ‘this is everyone’s coming of age story; of anyone trying to find his or her way’.

Cast with Maya Drake

For over two hours the Civic Theatre rocked with the fantastic dancing (Camille A. Brown), a very versatile cast, highlighted with amazing New York skylines and  awesome lighting showing different floors of the hotel where most of the action takes place (Robert Brill and Natasha Katz) 

With direction by Michael Greif and seventeen year old Maya Drake as Ali (Keys) this juke -box musical rolls out her story showing the conflict between her overly protective mother, (Kennedy Caughell who has some set of chops) her absent father (with a smooth voice, Desmond Sean Ellington) her house painter boyfriend Knuck (JonAvery Worrell) and Miss Eliza Jane (Roz White) who teaches Ali to play the piano in the Ellington Room of the Hotel. (“Perfect Way To Die” and “Your Story to Tell”) 

Maya Drake 

It’s obvious that Ali has the talent and drive to get someplace even with the many drawbacks; breaking up with her boyfriend, struggles and tension with her mother and disappointment in her father.  She bounces back (“Girl on Fire”, “No One”, “Empire State Of Mind”), and brings the house down with her most well -known numbers and no one in the audience seemed to care if there was too much information packed into this long awaited show. Even as such, the dynamism overwhelmed even the most cynical of us. 

Maya Drake and JonAvery Worrell

While the sound in the Civic Theatre is less than acceptable, the sound mix was terrible and these ears were frustrated most of the evening. (Gareth Owen).  Peter Nigrini is credited for the excellent projections and Adam Blackstone is credited for Musical supervision. 

Maya Drake and Roz White

Key’s has won 17 Grammy Awards since 2002  including one last year “Hell’s Kitchen” for Best Musical Theatre Album, so no slouch here. 

There is still time to catch it. 

Again, you will be struck by the dancing.

 

When: 7 p.m. Aug. 11 and 12; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13; 8 p.m. Aug. 14; 2 and 8 p. Aug. 15; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16

 Where: San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown

Photo: Marc J Franklin

Tickets:  $68 and up

Online: ticketmaster.com