'Gypsy' gets Palo Alto Players off to a great start

 

Ray D’Ambrosio is Herbie, Whitney Hisako Moore is Louise and  Caitlin Gjerdrum is Mama Rose. (Scott Lasky photo)

Palo Alto players has opened its 95^th season with a splendid production of a musical theater classic, “Gypsy.”

With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents, this 66-year-old masterpiece was inspired by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee.

Its central character is Mama Rose, the stage mother from hell, who pushed and manipulated her daughters, Louise and June, toward what she hoped would be vaudeville success. In the process, she strained her finances and kept the girls out of school.

Although June showed more promise, she escaped her mother’s clutches by eloping with one of the boys in their act. She became actor June Havoc.

Rose then focused on the reluctant Louise, who eventually blossomed into Gypsy Rose Lee.

Director Janie Scott has assembled a 29-member cast ranging from kids to adults, each creating a believable character.

As Mama Rose, Caitlin Gjerdrum embodies the character’s fierce determination, apparently undaunted by one setback after another. She’s also a terrific singer who belts out such songs as “Everything’s Coming up Roses” and her finale, “Rose’s Turn.”

Portraying her daughters as young girls are Caitlin Segal as June and Phoebe Wagner as Louise. Segal’s June is featured in “Let Me Entertain You,” singing, dancing and, in another sequence, baton twirling, while Wagner’s Louise is clearly uncomfortable. She knows that she doesn’t have Louise’s talent.

However, they both sing well.

Their adult characters are played by Samantha Borthwick as June and Whitney Hisako Moore as Louise, both of whom are talented.

Another noteworthy performance comes from Ray D’Ambrosio as the longsuffering Herbie, who becomes the girls’ manager and falls in love with Rose. He hopes to marry her, but she keeps putting him off.

The three burlesque strippers add comic touches thanks to Kristina Nakagawa as Tessie Tura, Chloe Angst as the horn-tooting Mazeppa and Barbara Heninger as a decrepit Electra in “You Gotta Get a Gimmick.”

Scott’s direction is enhanced by choreography by Michael Saenz, especially his routine for Tulsa (Ralph Shehayed) in “All I Need Is the Girl.”

Kudos to music and vocal director Amanda Ku, who conducts from the orchestra pit.

Costumes by Jenny Garcia help to define the characters, as do the hair, wigs and makeup by Nicole Hoke.

Scenic design by Kevin Davies establishes each scene yet is flexible enough for quick changes. The sound is by Chris Beer, the lighting by Noah Price.

The Sept. 7 matinee featured two ASL interpreters seated house left who made the show accessible to the hearing impaired.

Theatergoers also saw some construction equipment and fencing around Lucie Stern Center, which is undergoing roof repairs.

Running about three hours with one intermission, this thoroughly entertaining production of “Gypsy” will continue through Sept. 21 in the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto

For tickets and information, call (650) 329-0891 or visit www.paplayers.org.

Hillbarn opens season with laugh-filled 'Plaza Suite'

 

Karen (Laura Jane Young, center) has her doubts about the relationship between Sam (Will Springhorn Jr.) and Jean (Jessie Kirkwood). Photo by Mark Kitaoka

Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory is launching its 85^th season with a Neil Simon comedy, “Plaza Suite.”

Set in the famed Plaza Hotel in New York City in late 1968 and early 1969, its three acts spotlight three different couples who stay there. The couples are played by the same two actors, Will Springhorn Jr. and Laura Jane Young.

In Act1, the couple is staying there while their suburban house is being painted. As it opens, the wife, Karen, is waiting for her husband, Sam, so that they can celebrate their 40-something anniversary.

When Sam arrives, he’s busy with business reports and tries to ignore her. He’s soon joined by his secretary, Jean (Jessie Kirkwood), supposedly to review those reports before they go back to the office.

Karen intuits that Sam and Jean are having an affair. It’s not a happy ending.

In Act 2, a successful Hollywood movie producer, Jessie, connects with his high school girlfriend, Muriel. She’s married with children, while he has had three unsuccessful marriages.

He has an idealized view of her and tries to seduce her. She resists at first, but eventually gives in.

In Act 3, Roy and Norma are all set for their daughter’s marriage, but Mimsey  (Kirkwood) has locked herself in the bathroom and refuses to come out. When they finally learn why she’s so afraid of marriage, they’re forced to look at their own relationship.

Completing the cast are Will Livingston (on opening night) as a bellhop and the groom-to-be and Mauricio Suarez as a room service waiter.

As directed by Marissa Keltie and aided by costume designer Lisa Claybaugh, Springhorn and Young successfully navigate the challenges of their characters.

However, Simon tends to make the male lead domineering and the female lead dithering. Hence there’s an underlying sameness to them, especially the two husbands.

Nevertheless, there are lots of laughs as well as insights into the perils of coupledom.

Production values are high with lighting by Pamila Gray, set by Eric Olson and sound by Jeff Mockus.

The program has interesting information about the history of Hillbarn as well the Plaza Hotel. For example, the hotel was bought by Donald Trump in 1988. He installed his then-wife, Ivana, as president and manager. They made renovations and redecorated before going through a nasty divorce and losing the hotel to foreclosure in 1995.

Running about two and a half hours with two intermissions, “Plaza Suite” will continue through Sept. 14 in Hillbarn Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 349-6411 or visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.

 

TheatreWorks premieres 'Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean: A New Musical'

 

From left: Ashley Cowl as Edna, Stepanie Gibson as Sissy, Shakina as Joanne and Stella Mae (Hayley Lovgren) gather for their reunion. (Photo by Kevin Berne)

James Dean was movie idol whose death in a car accident in 1955 at the age of 24 caused his legions of fans, especially teenage girls, to go into mourning.

In “Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean: A New Musical,” some fan club members gather for a reunion honoring him 20 years later. Their small hometown in Texas is near the setting of his last film, “Giant.”

In this world premiere presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, they meet in a dime store owned by Loretta (Judith Miller) a Southern Baptist widow. They include Mona (Lauren Marcus), Sissy (Stephanie Gibson), Stella Mae (Hayley Lovgren) and Edna Louise (Ashley Cowl).

They’re soon joined by a mysterious stranger driving a Porsche. She reveals herself to be Joanne (Shakin

a), who 20 years ago was known as Joe, Mona’s husband.

On top of that, Mona has a son (Ellie Van Amerongen) whom she has named Jimmy Dean because she supposedly had a one-night stand with the movie star when he was in the area. She also makes a claim to fame because she was in a crowd scene in “Giant.”

Secrets are revealed and relationships challenged during the reunion.

Director Giovanna Sardelli, who is TheatreWorks’ artistic director, has assembled a talented ensemble cast with each member spotlighted individually or in a group and creating a memorable character.

Although everyone sings well, Shakina’s lyrics can be hard to discern in Dan Gillespie Sells’ country western-style music. It might be helpful to follow the San Francisco Opera’s use of supertitles -- even for operas in English.

The book by Ashley Robinson is based on Ed Graczyk’s play, which has had several stage and film iterations.

The artistic team makes noteworthy contributions with musical direction by Jacob Yates, set by Nina Ball, costumes by Alina Bokovikova, lighting by Kurt Landisman and sound by Cliff Caruthers.

TheatreWorks presented a staged reading of the show in its New Works Festival last year.

Running just under two hours with no intermission, “Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean” will continue through July 13 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View.

For tickets and information, call (877) 662-8978 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

 

 

 

 

 

'Sweat' shows what can happen when jobs are lost

 

 Amy Meyers (left) as Tracey, Tannis Hanson as Jessie and Kimberly Ridgeway as Cynthia in the Palo Alto Players production of "Sweat". (Photo by Scott Lasky) 

When a factory closes, the lives of its blue collar workers are devastated.

That’s the premise of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Sweat,” presented by Palo Alto Players.

The play opens in 2008 in Reading, Pennsylvania, where a parole officer (ShawnJ West, who also directs the play) asks two recently released prisoners what they plan to do with their lives.

The white Jason (Will Livingston), his face and neck heavily tattooed, is belligerent and doesn’t seem to know what’s next.

The Black Chris (Adam C. Torrian) wants to go to college and better himself. Why he and Jason were imprisoned becomes clear later.

The action then goes back to 2000, mostly in a bar presided over by Stan (Scott Solomon), and frequented by several workers, including Jason and Chris, at the nearby factory.

The other regulars are Tracey (Amy Meyers), Jason’s mother; Cynthia (Kimberly Ridgeway), Chris’s mother; and their friend, Jessie (Tannis Hanson).

Stan is assisted by a mostly silent young Hispanic man, Oscar (Aaron Edejer).

They’ve heard rumors that the plant’s new owners might close it and move to Mexico, but they believe their union will protect them.

A rift between Cynthia and her two friends ensues after Cynthia is promoted into management. She insists she’s trying to help them, but they see her as a traitor.

The play’s other character is Brucie (Anthony Haynes), Cynthia’s ex-husband, who became addicted to drugs after losing his job at another factory.

The episodic action switches between 2000 and 2008. TV monitors delivering the news help to define the time period.

West’s direction and the cast’s acting are solid. However, the actors’ diction and projection and perhaps Gregorio Perez’s sound design can make the dialogue difficult to understand, at least where I was seated house left.

Other design elements enhance the play with the set by Kevin Davies, costumes by Nia Jacobs and lighting by Chris Beer.

Because of the faulty diction and strong language, this is a not a play for youngsters.

Running about two and a half hours with an intermission, it will continue through June 29 at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

For tickets and information, call (650) 329-0891 or visit www.paplayers.org.

 

 

"Jersey Boys' sets toes to tapping at Palo Alto Players

 

The Four Seasons (from left): Bob Guido (Andrew Cope), Ricki Valli (James M. Jones), 
Tommy DeVito (Tyler Savin) and Nick Massi (Justin Kerekes). Scott Lasky photo

The Tony-winning “Jersey Boys,” presented by Palo Alto Players, is more than a rousing jukebox musical featuring the hits of the Four Seasons in the 1960s.

Instead it’s an inside look at the famed quartet, its climb to success and the inevitable tensions stemming from fame and life on the road.

The Four Seasons were four guys from New Jersey who began singing on street corners.

Personnel changed over the years, but at the core of the group were Tommy DeVito (Tyler Savin), its manager; Nick Massi (Justin Kerekes); Bob Gaudio (Andrew Cope), its songwriter and the composer for this show; and Frankie Valli (James M. Jones), whose soaring falsetto contributed to the group’s distinctive sound.

Bob Crewe (Danny Martin) was the studio manager (and the show’s lyricist) who recorded and produced some of its songs.

With each of the four men telling parts of the story, it unfolds chronologically as the group began by singing others’ songs, such as “Silhouettes,” “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “Earth Angel.”

About halfway through the first act the group belts out a string of its own toe-tapping hits such as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Dawn” and “Walk Like a Man.”

The second act, when things start to go sour between the men and their families, still features such winners as “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” Working My Way Back to You” and “Rag Doll.”

Directed by Doug Santana with musical direction by Nick Kenbrandt and vocal direction by Daniel Lloyd Pias, this production features outstanding singing and acting by all of the principals, especially Jones as Frankie, as well as the large supporting cast.

It also has some energetic dances choreographed by Whitney Janssen. The flexible set is by Patrick Klein, who also designed the scene-setting projections.

Lighting is by Edward Hunter, costumes by Jenny Garcia and sound by Jeff Grafton. Nicole Hoke deserves credit for the hair and wig designs, especially for the women.

Because ticket demand for this highly entertaining show has been so great, a performance has been added May 1.

Running about two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission, “Jersey Boys” will continue through May 4 at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1350 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Because of some strong language, it’s recommended for ages 12 and up.

For tickets and information, call (650) 329-0891 or visit www.paplayers.org.

 

 

 

Hillbarn stages world premiere of 'Writing Fragments Home'

 

Mary Gwen (Jen Cuevas) and son Jay (Jomar Tagatac) celebrate her birthday. (Mark Kitaoka photo)

Having lost his sense of purpose along with his girlfriend and his job, an aspiring playwright moves back in with his mother.

So begins Jeffrey Lo’s “Writing Fragments Home,” being given its world premiere by Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory.

Jay (Jomar Tagatac) is the son of Filipino immigrants. His widowed mother, Mary Gwen (Jen Cuevas), is a hard-working nurse with a bad back. She loves her 40-year-old son, but makes him sleep on the couch and wishes he would get a real job.

During Jay’s attempts to write a scene in which two people are attracted to each other, their scene is enacted by actors played by Brigitte Losey and Jamiel St. Rose, who both play several roles in the play. If this scene is any indication of Jay’s talents, it’s no wonder his plays haven’t been produced.

During conversations with his mom, Jay learns more about his Filipino heritage and why his parents left the Philippines and settled in the Bay Area: Even though they were doing well in their home country, they wanted a good life for their son.

In other dream or fantasy scenes, Jay talks with his father, Ronaldo (Jepoy Ramos), who died when Jay was in his early teens. During their talks, Jay gains insight into his heritage as well as the obstacles faced by his Filipino parents.

Although the first act involves arguments between mother and son, their discussions grow more serious in the second. Still, much of the drama is amply interspersed with humor.

The second act begins with a celebration of Mary Gwen’s birthday. When Jay brings out the cake, he sings “Happy Birthday” in Tagalog and invites the audience to join in. Many do.

Production values are high, thanks to an excellent cast, direction by Reed Flores, the living room set by Christopher Fitzer, mood lighting by Pamila Gray, costumes by Nolan Miranda (the audience liked Jay’s Warriors T-shirt with the number 30 in the second act) and sound by Alan Chang.

Running about two and a half hours with an intermission, “Writing Fragments Home” will continue through May 4 at Hillbarn Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 349-6411 or visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.

 

 

New immigrants celebrate first Thanksgiving in 'Heart Sellers'

 

Jane (Narea Kang, left) looks through Luna's (Nicole Javier) photo album in "The Heart Sellers," (Alessandra Mello)

Two immigrant women, both recently arrived from Asian countries, happen to meet in a grocery store and decide to spend their first American Thanksgiving together.

So begins Lloyd Suh’s “The Heart Sellers,” presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.

It’s 1973 in a mid-sized U.S. city. Luna (Nicole Javier), who’s Filipino, welcomes Jane (Narea Kang), who’s South Korean, into her studio apartment. Both women are married to medical residents who can’t be with them.

At first Jane, whose English is limited, is leery, while Luna seems to talk nonstop.

As they wait for the frozen turkey to roast, they drink cheap wine, which fuels their conversation and interactions. Along the way, they reveal more of themselves and their backgrounds, gradually forging a friendship.

The play’s title comes from the Hart-Celler Act, aka the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.

Signed by President Lyndon Johnson, it gave priority to highly skilled immigrants, those who had family living in the U.S. and refugees. Before that, only Western and Northern Europeans had priority.

Although the play is set during Richard Nixon’s administration, it has resonance with today’s immigration policies and issues.

Thus the personal and political undertones make for intriguing theater.

However, the women’s accents are so difficult to understand that some of the meaning is lost despite fine acting by both women and adept direction by Jennifer Chang.

Also benefitting the production are the set by Arnel Sancianco, costumes by Lisa Misako Claybaugh, lighting by Wen-Ling Liao and sound by Ed Lee.

This Northern California premiere is a co-production with Capital Stage in Sacramento and Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley.

Running about 90 minutes with no intermission, it will continue through April 27 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.

For tickets and information, call (877) 662-8978 or visit www.theatreworks.org.