“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