Top Notch Cast Puts “Having Our Say” On To See List

Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson has always been somewhat of a firebrand; at least in all the years I’ve known her. So it didn’t surprise me when I read that she was cast as one of the Delany Sisters in New Village Arts production of “Having Our Say -The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years” by Emily Mann and adapted from the book by Sarah L. and A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill Hearth. 

When you live to be 100+, Bessie was born in 1891; you kind of get to say whatever’s on your mind. Her sister Sadie or Sarah L. Delany, (Milena (Sellers) Phillips, with whom she shares the stage and shared her life, for that matter, was born in 1889. She is the more reticent or ‘shy’ as she likes to put it. Both women live up to their natural potential and then some under director Melissa Coleman-Reed’s excellent casting.

The Delany Sisters were born just before the turn of the century in Raleigh, NC. They later moved to Harlem and finally settled in Mt. Vernon, New York where they broke the ‘color code' and were one of the first families to live in ‘an all white’ (most likely restricted) neighborhood.

Melina (Sellers) Phillips and Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson as Sadie and Bessie Delany

It is here in their Mt. Vernon cozy home (kitchen, living room with two winged back chairs, and fully furnished dining room all designed by Christopher Scott Murillo) that we are invited to hear their history/story as they busily prepare a seven course meal to celebrate their deceased father’s birthday.

Theirs is a history rich in memories, filled with humor, a deep faith and caring ideals instilled in them by their parents. Their father was a born into slavery, but was lucky enough to have been singled out by a mentor who schooled him. He went on to college and became a teacher and ultimately a college administrator. Their mother was also college educated (just a hair smarter than was their father) as well, so it was no coincidence that their ten children had the same.

Sadie, second from the eldest is the more sensible, gracious and more mannered of the two. She earned her masters degree from Columbia and became the first ‘brown’ home economics teacher in the New York public schools.

“Sadie is molasses without even trying,” Bessie once said. “She can sweet talk the world, or play dumb. Or whatever it takes to get by without a fuss.” “If Sadie is molasses, than I’m vinegar. Sadie is sugar and I’m the spice.”

Ms. Phillips, whom we saw we saw recently in Cygnet’s last year’s productions of “Seven Guitars” and “King Hedley”, is still the ‘down to earth’ mother figure and a perfect balance to offset the tiger in her sister Bessie. While her lines are more muted and reticent, she does get respect and assistance from her little sister.

The two are like a single personality they act as one and speak as one. They finish each other’s sentences and their shared memories are never in conflict, something I marvel at since it seems that my brother and I came from two different sets of parents as do my three adult daughters. 

Bessie, the rebel in the family and two years her sisters’ junior is still carrying a grudge ‘for those who wronged her and are long gone.’ She too graduated from Columbia with a degree in dentistry. She’s incorrigible, stubborn, carries a grudge and isn’t easily sent to the ‘back of the bus’.

Thompson still rules the roost with a look, a gesture, finishing her sister’s sentences and offering a helping hand. She also has all the plum lines, fitting a rebel of her stature. She’s funny and respectful but when she shows her anger, “Some things make me madder than a hornet.”

They have lived together all their lives. Bessie attributes their longevity to the fact that they never married. “No man could ever worry us to death”.

She is also pretty vocal about politics, then and now sighting the Jim Crow Laws, carpetbaggers, Dan Quail, Paul Robson, Marian Anderson, Booker T. Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, JR., Sarah Vaughan, W.E.B. DuBois, and Jimmy Carter. She would also like to have a law passed that once you turn 100 you needn’t pay any more taxes! 

Aside from directing, Ms. Coleman-Reed also designed the costumes, AJ Paulin the lighting and Melanie Chen is responsible for the wonderful projections showing actual slides of the Delany Family as the sisters chatted about their parents, siblings and ancestors.

“Having Our Say”, while spanning a century and more of memories between the sisters Delany, is more of a panoramic look into the Black Experience. Against all odds two exceptional African-American women managed to survive  the cultural, social and racial detours thrown at them and still love America, love their God and lived to tell about it.

Bessie Delany died in October 195 at age 104. Sadie died in January 1999. She was 109.  She was the oldest survivor. Her last book was titled “On My Own at 107: Reflections on a Life Without Bessie.”   

See you at the theatre.

Dates: Through June 11th

Organization: New Village Arts Theatre

Phone: 760.433.3245

Production Type: Comedy

Where: 2787 State Street, Carlsbad Village, Carlsbad, CA

Ticket Prices: $33.00 to $36.00

Web: newvillagearts.org

Venue: New Village Arts Theatre

Photo: Rich Soublet

The Boys Are Back in Town, And OH! What a Night it was.

It all began under a streetlight in New Jersey in 1956 with handshake and four street urchins calling themselves musicians who wanted to start a singing group.

4 Seasons Early 1960's (Getty Images GAB Archive/Redferns)

By 1962 the four musicians, Tommy DeVito (Mathew Dailey), Nick Massi (Keith Hines), Bob Gaudio (Cory Jeacoma) and Valli (Aaron De Jesus) scrambled for gigs in coffee houses, bowling alleys, lounges, bars and small time diners and eventually settled on calling themselves ‘The ‘Four Seasons’ after performing at a Bowling Alley of the same name.

Before that they were ‘The Four Lovers’. That morphed (after trying out about a dozen or so different names to call the group) into the ‘Four Seasons’ and finally to “Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons”.

In 1990 the original ‘Four Seasons’ were inducted into the Rock ‘Roll Hall of fame and in 1990 joined the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Still one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, they have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

The two-time Tony Award winning show (2006) is now here at the Civic Theatre through May 14th.  It traces the early beginnings of what is now headlined as “Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons”. 

The story plays out like an emotional roller coaster for the boys and their rise to fame leaving some behind and others with broken marriages as the four tell their stories, each taking a season, during and toward the end of the show bringing us up to date on the whereabouts of each of the singers. It’s an honest to goodness rags (read small time hooligans and oft time petty thieves) to riches story warts and all that also included stints in prison for petty theft, etc.

The original production began at The La Jolla Playhouse in 2004, pre Broadway, with then artistic director Des McAnuff brought together an outstanding ensemble of talented guys to portray the ‘Jersey Boys’

With the combined efforts of McAnuff who directed, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice (book), Bob Gaudio (music) and Bob Crewe (lyrics) with Sergio Trujillo choreographing and starring Aaron De Jesus as Valli, most of what we see is based on their story and their somewhat slow and oft times frustrating rise to fame.

By now, after ten years on Broadway and countless touring shows, “Jersey Boys” is a glitzy well –oiled, high energy machine that like the Ever-ready Bunny continues to entertain.

Howell Brinkley lighting design, costumes by Jess Goldstein, Klara Zieglerova scenic design and Michael Clark’s comic book projections; all are pretty much in tact.  It’s thoroughly entertaining and well worth seeing (for this reviewer at least four times including the one in Vegas).

In this current production, aside from De Jesus who gives us an unbelievably outstanding performance as his character matures right in front of our eyes, his strong falsetto voice is on target. He’s pretty versatile as well with some very good -looking dance moves with a low center of gravity that allows him to spin on his knees as well as slide onto the edge of the stage with microphone in hand singing.

Baritone Matthew Dailey (Mr. tough guy) plays Tommy DeVito the troublemaker and racketeer who puts the group in a tough situation after racking up over a million dollars in debt, for which Valli pledged to pay back.

Dailey’s tough guy character is consistent throughout. He’s the guy you love to hate for putting the group at risk of losing everything with his small that turned into big-time gambling debts.  

Bass Keith Hines is Nick Massi the easy going of the group who suddenly decides to leave just because he said it and didn’t want to backtrack. His dry sense of humor and monotone delivery, brought laughs every time he spoke.

Tenor Cory Jeacoma is Bob Gaudio. He is brought into the group by none other than Joe Pesci another New Jersey native and friend of Valli’s.  When Gaudio came into the group he literally pulled them out of the doldrums with his songs, “Sherry”, “Walk Like A Man”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”.  His specialty is on the keyboards.

The harmony works as well with this talented cast in what looks as though all are playing their own instruments. Strong support comes from Barry Anderson as Bob Crew their on again off again producer, Thomas Fiscella as Gyp De Carlo one of Jersey’s gangsta’s and Jersey Girl Kristin Paulicelli who plays Frankie’s first wife Mary.

The women in the show are more for background looks rather than pushing the story forward. It’s glitz with nowhere to go. But glitz is what past present and future productions are/will be about when all is said and done.

If you haven’t seen “Jersey Boys” in person or the movie version, see it while its here. With popular hits like “Walk Like a Man”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” “My Eyes Adored You”, “Earth Angel”, “Sherry”, “My Boyfriend’s Back” “Oh What a Night”, “Who Wears Short Shorts” “Sunday Kind of Love” and a beautiful solo by Aaron DeJesus’ Frankie, “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, for sure you will be one of thousands who crowded into the Civic Theatre on opening night and went gaga over every song the group and the band sang and played. 

See you at the theatre.

Dates: Through May 14th

Organization: Broadway San Diego

Phone: 619.570.1100

Production Type: Musical

Where: 1100 Third Ave. Downtown San Diego 92101

Ticket Prices: Start at $40.00

Web: broadwaysd.com

Venue: Civic Theatre

Photo: Broadwaysd

“The Music Man” still resonates with an upbeat cast at Welk Resort Theatre.

Meredith Willson’s 1957 Tony award winning musical starring Robert Preston is based on a story by Willson, who comes from Mason City, Iowa, and Franklin Lacey. At its center is ‘Professor’ Harold Hill (David S. Humphrey), a smooth talking, fast-talking con man who comes into the small town of River City, Iowa posing as a boys band organizer.

Con man ‘Professor’ Harold Hill along with other traveling salesmen are making their way through ‘the territories’ to peddle their wares on the Rock Island R.R. Hill makes a quick exit off the Rock Island RR (“Rock Island”) when he learns that he is a wanted scammer from the others on the train.

David S. Humphry

There, he accidentally bumps into an old yet reformed con man Marcellus (Alex Allen), who gives him a line on the Who’s Who of the town. (“Shipoopi”) including the standoffish librarian, Marian Paroo (Charlene Koepf Wilkerson) who is ready for pluckin’. (“Goodnight My Someone”)

His is an elaborate scam to sell instruments as well as band uniforms to the youngsters to form a band and keep the kids out of the local Billiard Parlor.  He convinces the town that the new pool table that Mayor Shinn (a fun to watch Cliff Senior) is bringing into the city will corrupt the young’uns. “(Ya Got Trouble”)

With all his blustering  ‘Professor Hill’ is shrewd enough to recognize that the men on the school board are ripe to be organized into a Barbershop Quartet (“Goodnight Ladies”, “Lida Rose”/Will I Ever Tell You?”) and quick enough to evade all references to his non references.

Willson’s music and his uncanny insight into small town mentality and tradition while poking fun at the hypocrisy of it all, is a hoot to watch. It translates into one of the most upscale and popular musical comedies of the times and reinforces the notion that if you give audiences a clever, funny and somewhat probable story, with an abundance of music they can hum on the way out of the theatre, coupled with youthful energy and family friendly language, topped off with a happy ending, they will follow you anywhere.

Kylie Molnar and Sean Kiralla 

The show won five Tony Awards including Best Musical. It played over 1300 performances on Broadway, was made into a film adaptation in 1962 and has gone through several revivals. It is currently on stage at The Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido through July 30^th and it’s probably one you might not want to miss.

Ray Limon directed and choreographed (his dancing prowess has his handwriting all over it) this revival with panache and confidence. This in spite of the music being too loud and, unlike other productions at Lawrence Welk that featured live instruments from the pit, there is no music ‘from the pit’.

Musical director Justin Gray pre recorded the sound track giving the actors more of a challenge to keep up with the recorded ‘orchestra’ than counting on a live orchestra/conductor to follow cues.

Charlene (Koepf) Wilkinson and David Humphty

That aside, Limon and his minions pay due respect to the overall look and upbeat feel of the show where tensions between some of the characters might rise above a one on the Richter Scale. But with numbers like “Seventy Six Trombones”, “Pickalittle”, “Wells Fargo Wagon”, “Shipoopi” and “Trouble” they flatten out when the love story between Hill and “Marian the Librarian” begins to jell.   

Humphry’s Hill is as handsome as he is talented and persuasive weaving and skirting through the maze of endless detours he faces as Shinn tries to track down his credentials and Marion plays hard to get while falling head over heels for him. Wilkinson’s Marion is a fine match for Humphry’s Hill. Both are in full voiced harmony. “Till There Was You” and “My White Knight”.  

She too would like to know Hill’s past after hearing rumors, but realizes…what’s the use. Between her mother’s (Jenny Wentworth) coaxing and brother Winthrop’s enchantment with Hill, she just drops the issue and let’s the chips fall where they may.

Jenny Wentworth, Bobby Chiu, Catalina Zelles and Charlene (Koepf) Wilkinson

The good folks of River City will never be the same after Hill spent some time there. Marian’s brother Winthrop (Bobby Chiu) will not be afraid to speak because of his lisp, his shyness and sadness will be overcome and he will come into his own (“Gary Indiana”). Check him out, he’s adorable.

Mayor Shinn will continue to be irritated by everything and baffled by himself. His wife Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn would learn to stand up to her husband, (Robin LaValley is a hoot as a community organizer (“Columbia Gem Of the Ocean”) and ‘the spinster’ Marian , we can conclude lives happily ever after.

The Mayor’s daughter Zaneeta Shinn (Kylie Molnar) will be able to walk hand in hand (in public) with her ruffian beau; Tommy (Sean Kiralla) and Tommy would take on a leadership role pushed by Hill, and give it up as the town’s troublemaker. Both Molnar and Kiralla are finds. Their dance numbers including some very high kicks are awesome, especially Kiralla.

Jenny Wentworth, Bobby Chiu and Charlene (Koepf) Wilkinson

On the technical side, lighting design by Jennifer Edwards, sound design by Patrick Hoyny, the serviceable set by Mike Buckley and costumes provided by Jenny Wentworth and Fullerton CLO give the production all that it needs to fill in the blanks.  

The kid in me would have loved a grand finale marching band blaring out “76 Trombones”, but it wasn’t to be. That shouldn’t keep you from taking another trip on the Rock Island Line and hopping off in River City, Iowa.

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre.

Dates: Through July 30th

Organization: Welk Resort Theatre

Phone: 1.888.802.7469

Production Type: Musical

Where: 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido, CA

Ticket Prices: $51.00

Web: welkresorts.com

Venue: Welk Resort Theatre

Photo: Ken Jacques

Jimmy Dean makes rare appearance at Broadway Theatre in Vista.

It’s been a while since Ed Graczyk’s “Come Back to the 5 and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean” has been seen on our local stages. By my count it’s been between fifteen and twenty years. It’s an interesting study in time travel as the show flashes back and forth over a twenty -year period.

The play recently opened at The Broadway Theater in Vista and plays through May 21^st. It is a blast from the past for those who can remember ‘Five and Dimes’, Woolworths Five and Dime, James Dean and where you were when he died. 

Years ago, I happened on the movie while surfing my T.V. The 1982 film of the ’76 play directed by Robert Altman and starred Sandy Dennis and Cher, (who was highly praised in her new dramatic role) caught my attention and has been on my radar every time it comes to our local stages, which is few and far between.  

Graczyk’s play takes place in Woolworth’s five and dime store in 1955 in the small town outside of McCarthy, Texas close to where the movie “Giant” was being filmed. It’s now 1975 twenty years later and the ‘all female’ Jimmy Dean Fan Club or the 6 Disciples are getting together for a reunion.

Julia Giolzetti, Renetta Lloyd, Heidi Bridges, Brooke McCormick and Erica Marie weisz

I don’t know about you, but the first and last reunion I attended (my something year class reunion) didn’t qualify for a repeat. But for Mona, Sissy, Stella May, Edna, Joe/ Joanne, die in the heart James Dean fans, they did plan another twenty -year reunion.

My guess is that after the all the laughter, reminiscing, truth squad revelations and finger pointing at this last one that few would show. But we will never know.

One of my all time favorite movies is “Giant”. Not so much because of James Dean, but because of the scope of this ‘giant’ epic. It spans two generations of Texans. It highlights the overt racism and oppression of women.  It traces the twenty-five year relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson and how they dealt with the changing tides. Yes, Taylor was a tiger in that film.

The movie “Giant” came out in 1956 and according to my calculations I was ‘only’ nineteen and still looking through Photoplay, Motion Picture Magazine, and a Life Magazine that featured Taylor as Leslie, soon to become Jordan or ‘Bick’s wife.

The family ranch was called Reata and it was on the Benedict family ranch that Jett Rink (James Dean) was one of the handymen. My favorite James Dean movie is “East of Eden” even though he was a pivotal figure in “Giant”. Let’s face it, he was a disrupting figure in his three movies, ergo he was an attraction to teens that loved rebels as in “Rebel Without a Cause” 

James Dean was 24 when “Giant” was being filmed. He died in a terrible car crash right outside McCarthy Texas where the movie was being filmed. Dean’s final scene in the movie was dubbed in by Nick Adams since Dean’s character Jett Rink, along with the actor were too drunk to be understood.  

Emily Candia, Jimmy Masterson ans Michelle Marie Trester

With veteran director Kathy Brombacher at the helm and an almost all girl cast with Texas accents that one could cut with a knife, the group comes together for a reunion on the anniversary of Dean’s death, twenty years later.

The 5 and Dime is decorated like a fourth of July celebration (Douglas Davis) with red, white and blue streamers hanging from the doorway and across the store front to a shrine with shiny photos of James Dean in the usual poses. Sitting on a shelf is a picture of the girls and Joe just after graduation.

There is a single light shining on the pictures. Across the room is a counter with several bar stools and hanging on the back wall is another lighted picture of The Last Supper.

Juanita (Kimberly Wooldridge) is the holier than thou proprietor who also has to face the truth about her beliefs and her saintly (so she thinks) husband. Woodbridge is a busy beaver from the outset making sure none of the girls acts irreverently toward her Lord.

Brooke McCormick, Erica Marie Weisz and Renetta Lloyd

The now Mona (Brooke McCormick) is the first to arrive. When Giant was being filmed, she was chosen to play an extra in the film and is living on that moment in history as her claim to fame. She’s somewhat delusional and has more issues than Carter has Little Liver Pills.

OH! Mona claims that her now grown son Jimmy Dean was conceived by none other than the star himself. It all happened after a one -night stand that was the ‘affair to remember’.  She can’t help but think everyone is jealous because she was the one chosen to bring the son of James Dean into the world.   

The momentum shifts back and forth as each now member of the fan club straggles in and time freezes as we look at the then teenagers and what they have become now.

I dare say, to the eye not much has changed in twenty years as the now women have matured but for one. She looks like an outsider, and as the playwright weaves past events with the present, she was the he who was ostracized for dressing in drag when they performed at a talent show singing “Sincerely” imitating the McGuire Sisters.

The then Joe is the now Joanne (Renetta Lloyd) who also stops into town driving a yellow Porsche that was supposedly the one that Dean used in his fateful crash but in fact it was…Well no spoilers here.

The reunion is full of surprise and disclosures, the reopening of old wounds and hurts and a coming to Jesus and acceptance at plays end. It is also laced with downhome humor yet strikes a discordant and sometimes mean tone, as some of those assembled are just unhappy seeing others revel in what they believe is their good fortune.

Heidi Bridges, Kimberly Wooldridge (in background), Erica Marie Weisz and Renetta Lloyd

It takes a while to get from here to there, and more than a few sensitive and ahead of their times topics that are pretty much mainstream now to coalesce.  Most are divulged in this coming to Jesus saga and it does have some life altering and lingering affects on most of the women gathered.

Heidi Bridges is upbeat but biting as Stella May who counts among her children the number of oil wells she and her rich husband have.

Julia Giolzetti is the not too bright Edna who counts as her gold the six or seven children she has delivered and is about to drop another. Giolzetti has a minor role but takes it on the chin from Stella May who uses her as batting practice.

Erica Marie Weisz is perfect as the now Sissy who still brags about her big boobs and her sexual prowess. Her counterpart, Emily Candia as the younger Sissy is equally bragging about the size of her boobs and her cemetery conquests. As a roller derby whiz, she now wants to try out as an ice skater as in the Follies.  

Michelle Marie Trester plays young Mona with a youthful enthusiasm that sets the tone as she rambles on about her being chosen to be an extra in the movie. That scenario never changes, it just grows more intense as she ages.

As her counterpart Brook McCormick is now a walking hypochondriac, a fragile bird ready to crack or break at any moment. McCormick’s is excellent as her stress and anxiety is written all over her face. In one of the telling scenes she unfolds a block of white something that she claims is from one of the decaying pillars at Reata.

Jimmy Masterson plays young Joe an almost look-a- like a very young James Dean. His is a surprising story played with gentleness at odds with the rest of the cast.

Costume designers Bobbi Smith and Reneta Lloyd costumes are picture perfect and fit right in especially the red jackets with the emblem “Disciples of Jams Dean” sewn on the back. Randall Hickman designed the lighting and Katie Silva is responsible for operating the lighting and sound board.

“Come Back to the 5 and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean” isn’t a perfect play but Brombacher and her fine ensemble make you feel as if you are taking a trip back in time where some dreams came true and others were shattered.

See you at the theatre.

Dates: Through May 21st

Organization: Broadway Theatre

Phone: 760.806.7905

Production Type: Comedy/Drama

Where: 340 East Broadway Vista, CA 92084

Ticket Prices: $23.50

Web: broadwayvista.com

Photo: Ken Jacques