Hilarity reigns in 'The Play That Goes Wrong'

 

Reactions to the death of Charles vary in the play within a play. (Mark Kitaoka photo)

True to its title, almost everything that can go wrong does in “The Play That Goes Wrong,” presented by Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory.

Written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields and Jonathan Sayer, the subject play is “The Murder at Haversham Manor” presented by an English theater company, the Cornley Drama Society.

The murder victim is Charles Haversham, who is apparently murdered in the night of a party celebrating his engagement to Sandra.

There’s no shortage of suspects, including his brother, his butler, Sandra’s brother and even the inspector supposedly investigating the crime.

Along the way almost everything goes wrong. Even as the audience is arriving, two stagehands try to attach a mantel piece that refuses to stay put.

After that, actors flub their lines or overact, props aren’t where they’re supposed to be, an elevator acts up, even an upstairs study breaks loose while two actors are on it. The dead man won’t quite stay dead.

Nevertheless, the actors improvise and muddle their way through the show.

When Sandra disappears, for example, the stage manager replaces her and reads her lines in a monotone until the script is knocked out of her hands and out of order.

By the time the finale draws near, everything has descended into chaos.

In the Hillbarn program, one first sees the Cornley cast and crew listed. A few pages later, the Hillbarn cast and crew are named.

In the Cornley version, Chris Bean has multiple duties ranging from playing the inspector to directing and designing the entire production and even handling press duties.

In the Hillbarn version, Chris Bean as Inspector Carter is played by the suave Michael Champlin. Charles, the victim, is played by Fred Pitts.

His brother, the mugging Cecil, who is having an affair with Sandra, is played by Andrew Cope. Sandra is played by Lucy Swinson

All of them, along with the other four cast members, do terrific work.

They have to because it’s not easy to portray amateurish actors trying to slog their way through a glitch-ridden production, but thanks to director Steve Muterspaugh, Hillbarn’s artistic director, they rise to the challenge and then some.

Credit for the uncooperative set goes to Kevin Davies and Eric Olson. The lighting is by Pamila Gray, sound by Jeff Mockus and costumes by Nolan Miranda.

So if you want to spend two hours (one intermission) laughing a lot, see “The Play That Goes Wrong,” which continues through May 17 at Hillbarn Theater, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 867-6411 or visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.

 

 

'Come From Away' focuses on human aftermath of 9/11

 

The cast of "Come From Away" joins together in song. (Kevin Berne photo)

Much changed on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked four passenger planes and crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Pennsylvania, killing thousands of people.

In the immediate aftermath, air traffic was halted in the United States and Canada, forcing 38 transatlantic planes with some 7,000 people aboard to land at the airport in the small island town of Gander, Newfoundland, which had fewer than 10,000 residents.

“Come From Away,” a musical presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, focuses on people who must adapt to the situation.

The versatile six women and six men in the cast portray both the passengers and townspeople.

When the play opens, the townspeople are preparing for an ordinary day as news of the attacks begins to surface. They soon learn that they’ll have to accommodate all the people from the diverted planes.

Therefore they muster up all available resources and welcome their unexpected visitors. Despite some initial wariness and cultural differences, the hosts and visitors warm to each other.

By the time the planes are allowed to leave after several days, friendships and a romance have blossomed, but another relationship has ended under the strain.

As directed by Robert Kelley, TheatreWorks’ retired founder and artistic director, the talented ensemble cast smoothly switches characters as the story unfolds. The result is a heartwarming, uplifting salute to humanity rising above the evil and tragedy of 9/11.

The music, lyrics and book by Irene Sankoff and David Hein distill the events into about an hour and 40 minutes without intermission. Therefore, some of the information is delivered so quickly that it’s hard to absorb everything.

However, the essential spirit comes through thanks to the cast, Kelley, musical director William Liberatore, choreographer/assistant director Alex Perez, set designer Wilson Chin, costume designer B. Modern, lighting designer Pamila Z. Gray and sound designer Cliff Caruthers.

This outstanding production of “Come From Away” continues through May 10 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.

 

 

 

TheatreWorks stages Pulitzer-winning 'Primary Trust'

 

Bert (Kenny Scott, left) listens as Kenneth (William Thomas Hodgson) is interviewed by the bank manager (Dan Hiatt). (Kevin Berne photo)

Kenneth (William Thomas Hodgson) is 38 years old and works in a bookstore in Cranberry, N.Y.

As depicted in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Primary Trust.” Kenneth has only one friend, Bert (Kenny Scott).

The two of them hang out at a tiki bar, Wally’s, and drink mai tais served by a succession of waitresses, all played by Rolanda D. Bell.

There’s just one catch. Bert is just an imaginary friend to Kenneth, who was orphaned at age 8 and bounced around thereafter.

When the bookstore owner (Dan Hiatt) decides to close it and move to Arizona for health reasons, Kenneth loses his job.

However, the manager (Hiatt), of a local bank, Primary Trust, hires him as a teller. Soon he’s doing well in his new job.

On the other hand, Kenneth becomes concerned and then upset when Bert no longer shows up.

Eventually Kenneth finds himself relating to other people and realizing that he doesn’t need Bert. He’s doing quite well on his own.

Directed by Jeffrey Lo, the play sometimes seems to move slowly, but it gains momentum.

The four actors all do well, as does Jonathan Erman, who plays piano at Wally’s.

The play is well served by Christopher Fitzer’s scenic design, Becky Bodurtha’s costumes, Steven B. Mannshardt’s lighting and Gregory Robinson’s sound.

Running about 90 minutes without intermission, “Primary Trust” will continue through March 29 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

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

 

 

 

Hillbarn stages 'Songs for a New World'

Sidney Matthew Román (left) is Man 1, Sophie Oda is Woman I, Coleton Schmitto is Man 2 and Jessica Coker is Woman 2. (Tracy Martin photo)
 

Although “Songs for a New World” has been around since 1995, it has a contemporary feel, as shown in the production by Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory.

It’s not a drama as such. There’s no dialogue, nor are there named characters in the songs by Jason Robert Brown.

Instead, the performers go by Woman 1 and 2, and Man 1 and 2. Together and individually they sing songs meant to convey ideas such as the hope that brought people across the sea to a new world, as expressed in “On the Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492,” performed by Man 1 (Sidney Matthew Román).

After that there are songs of despair, such as the company’s “The River Won’t Flow,” which refers to homelessness.

There also are songs of hope, of love lost and regained, and the human cost of war.

Six panels with projected images are suspended over the stage in Eric Olson’s scenic design as a way to illustrate and amplify the feelings of the songs.

The floor is painted with phrases like “Ocean of Despair,” “The Lonely Desert,” “Delta of Desire” and others.

Much credit for the projections goes to Cindy Goldfield, They become quite contemporary in some of the latter songs, especially “Hear My Song,” which is accompanied by photos from the protests that followed recent ICE actions in Minneapolis, including the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Besides designing the projections, Goldfield skillfully directed this production and its movements.

The four cast members are all good singers and actors. Besides Román as Man 1, they are Coleton Schmitto as Man 2, Sophie Oda as Woman 1 and Jessica Coker as Woman 2.

Music director and keyboardist Jad Bernardo directs two other musicians on an upstage platform.

The costumes are by Stephanie Dittbern with lighting by Pamila Gray and sound by Jeff Mockus.

Because this is live theater, glitches sometimes arise. Such was the case opening night when Román’s mike suddenly went out during his “King of the World,” but he continued singing as if nothing were wrong. His mike worked thereafter.

Another more subtle problem was a backlight seen on the audience’s left that flickered throughout the show.

Running about 90 minutes without intermission, “Songs for New World” will continue through May 17 at Hillbarn Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 340-6411 or visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.

 

 

 

 

TheatreWorks presents ‘Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me’

 

Hershey Felder at the piano (David Lepori)

Piano virtuoso Hershey Felder has long been a TheatreWorks Silicon Valley favorite with his one-man shows featuring beloved composers like Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Berlin and Beethoven.

Now he’s back playing himself in the world premiere of his “Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me.”

It’s a fascinating, entertaining autobiographical work that starts in 1974, focuses mainly on his childhood and early adulthood, and offers more music by classical masters.

He talks a lot about his Jewish roots: his parents in Montreal and his Polish and Hungarian grandparents. His grandparents and others talked about the horrors of the Holocaust. Often he speaks in their voices and with their accents.

And of course, he talks about his relationship with the piano, beginning when he was fascinated by it when he was about 3 years old. He also talks about the teachers who helped him along the way.

Besides creating and performing in this work, Felder designed its scenic and visual elements. Books and luggage are arrayed across the stage in front of a grand piano.

Videos and projections by Stefano De Carli show composers, family members and various settings.

The lighting is by Erik S. Barry with sound design by the production manager, Erik Carstensen.

The show runs just under two hours with no intermission. Afterward, Felder graciously answers audience questions.

“Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me” will continue through Feb. 8 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.

Constitution inspires play at Hillbarn

 

Vincent Randazzo as Mike listens as Heidi, played by Kimberly Donovan, talks about the Constitution. (Hillbarn photo)

In view of today’s political turmoil in the U.S., Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory’s production of Heidi Schreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me” would seem quite timely.

However, it mainly takes place when the playwright was still in high school. To earn money for college, she entered contests to talk about what the Constitution means to her.

The action takes place in an American Legion hall in Wenatchee, Wash., when her character, Heidi (Kimberly Donovan), was 15. The contest has time limits overseen by a Legion member, Mike (Vincent Randazzo).

Mostly she talks about Amendment 14, ratified in 1868. It provides for equal protection under the law, calls for due process and grants citizenship to anyone born in the United States. At the time it was intended to grant citizenship to former slaves.

Schreck says many of these rights seemed to apply only to men. Hence, she espouses feminist views.

She seems to switch between her teenage and adult selves, talking about her life and family.

A third character, Debater (Miriam Shev-Tov at the Jan. 23 opening), appears later to debate Heidi. She’s an actual 15-year-old who has more contemporary view of the Constitution and its role in current affairs. She makes points that seem to resonate with the audience.

(Another Debater, Avery Hartman, is listed in the program but didn’t appear at the opening. It’s likely that she and Shev-Tov alternate in the role, but the program doesn’t say so.)

As directed by Susannah Martin, Donovan is too hyper and shouts too much, diluting her effectiveness. The other two performers are more subdued.

The subtle sound design is by Jeff Mockus with the set by Jenna Forder, lighting by Cameron Pence and costumes by Madeline Berger.

Running about two hours with no intermission, “What the Constitution Means to Me” will continue through Feb. 8 at Hillbarn Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

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

 

 

Book, movie, now stage: 'Da Vinci Code' goes live in Palo Alto

 

Christian Vaugh-Munck as Robert Langdon and Alli Gamlen as Sophie Neveu try to figure out secrets that will help solve mysteries. (Scott Lasky)

People who enjoyed Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” best-selling novel and/or the movie might be disappointed at Palo Alto Players’ production of the stage adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel.

As directed by Jennifer Copaken, who also serves as movement director, it’s over-produced, and its story is hard to follow.

Part of the problem is that some of the accents are hard to understand. Hence it’s difficult to discern the role of some characters in the convoluted plot.

Basically it focuses on Robert Langdon (Christian Vaughn-Munck), a Harvard symbologist who’s summoned to the Louvre in Paris, where a curator has been murdered.

He teams up with a French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu (Alli Gamlen), to try to figure out exactly what happened and who’s responsible.

They eventually realize that they’re trying to decipher a code that will reveal the secret history of the origins of Christianity. The works of Da Vinci provide some clues.

Two dancers appear at the beginning of the play and between scenes. Sometimes they’re joined by black-robed monks who manipulate various geometric blocks. They seem extraneous.

This production features ominous music by Anton Sabirianov and abstract projections by Tasi Alabastro.

The simple set is by artistic director Patrick Klein with lighting by Edward Hunter, costumes by Andy Lechuga and sound by Gregorio Perez.

Running about two and a half hours with an intermission, “The Da Vinci Code” will continue through Feb. 1 at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

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