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A Fine Oliver!
The Dickensian tale of the adventures and misadventures of a foundling orphan waif is blessed by the fine, confident performance of Ben Phillips in the title role. Young Phillips sings fearlessly and avoids the pitfalls of cloying sentimentality and affectation that often curse the role. Kenneth Cusson as workhouse tyrant Mr. Bumble and Nancy Williams as Widow Corney provide much of the evening's comedy with broadly played, excellently sung, over the top performances. Resident actor Michael D Jacobs makes a superb Fagin. With grey locks cascading from a balding pate and a scraggly unkempt beard, his Fagin is in turn benignly dictatorial with his child army of scruffy pickpockets, tender with the slum doxy Nancy (Erica Racz) and obsequious in the presence of the sociopath Bill Sykes (Michael Champlin). Mr. Jacobs invest this "bad 'un" with just enough humanity to elicit a modicum of sympathy for him at close of curtain. Ms. Racz, ably supported Lana Richards as Nancy's best friend Bet, creates a character who loves life and the people around her, including, mysteriously, the brute Sykes. Her justifying number "As Long as He Needs Me," which she sings brilliantly, dominating the stage with her presence and silky contralto, reveals Nancy as a codependent and enabler who accepts abuse as the price of caring. She is heartbreaking in the reprise when she opens up to include young Oliver in the tight circle of those who need her, setting herself up for a tragic end at the hands of a monster. With such a huge ensemble, let me point out that the children were adorable, the dancers were drilled to near perfection and the cast was uniformly coached to more than acceptable, consistent levels British and Cockney accents. The funeral dancers (Melinda Burns, Danica Harootian, Elana Kline, Molly Krost, Lana Richards, Sofia Sarlat and Katherine Stadtlander) and the chimney sweeps (Christopher Marcos, Antonio Ferrer, Jr., Michael Junsay, Arick Arzadon and Daniel Matsumoto) were particularly fine in executing the inventive choreography of Ms. O'Bryon. And while it may be may be unfair to single out one performer from amongst so many, Kent Burns as the strawberry seller was magnetic drawing the eye with charisma and pleasing the ear with a beautiful and powerful child's soprano. The multilevel set by Rick Ortenblad efficiently represented the many locales called for and scene changes were swift and seamless. Lady Hull costumed the multitudes with satisfying period representations that were rich and colorful. Kudos PRT for a delightful production. Tinyard Hill Tinyard Hill, a new musical by Tommy Newman and Mark Allen, touches the heart with laughter and heartfelt emotion in a first class world premiere production mounted by TheatreWorks as part of their New Works Festival ‘09. Set in rural Georgia in the summer of 1964, Tinyard Hill tells the story of a young blacksmith straining against the limited vision of his father who is content to be an anachronism, an old timey blacksmith who markets hand forged trinkets. Young David Kingsley (Chris Critelli) wants to expand, invest in a “stick welder” so as to be able to repair cars and tractors. His father Russell (James Moye), is content the way things are and balks at the expense.
TheatreWorks Artistic Director Robert Kelley keeps the action fast pace paced and the sure hand of Musical Director William Liberatore drives the blues tinged country rock score impeccably. Although the score is not particularly memorable, the songs are pleasing and dynamic and serve the story well. The superb cast of actor/singers invests the unassuming dual love story with a compelling sincerity that lifted the audience on a rising tide of emotions. Chris Critelli as David sang magnificently with a plaintive, authentic country voice especially so in the second act numbers in “Carolina” and “All This Runnin’.” James Moye as his father Russell powerfully recounted his experience of being drafted into the terror of World War II in “I Shook His Hand.” Allison Briner invested May Bell’s second act cri de coeur “What Kind of Mother” with searing intensity. And Melissa Wolfkain who makes an adorable Aileen was a continual delight whether in her solo number “Maybe It’s the Sun” or in the slam bang second act opening ensemble piece “Pack It Up,” a powerful song of driving frustration. Tinyard Hill is a thoroughly engaging piece of theatre that touches the heart and has plenty of humor that brings honestly earned laughter and that is enough for me. While the show may not have the spectacle required to become a major Broadway hit, a charming four character musical may find its niche off Broadway and will certainly appeal to regional theatres across the country. Tinyard Hill deserves a wider audience and I wish it and its creators well. Tinyard Hill runs through August 16 at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. Guys and Dolls
San Benito Stage is an enthusiastic bunch and their productions always show the joy of performance. It’s just what a community theatre should be – an opportunity for musicians, actors and artists to work with great material and the script by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows with music and lyrics by the incomparable Frank Loesser certainly fits the description. The company mounts a very respectable production. The leads deliver the Damon Runyun love story of Broadway gambler Sky Masterson (Christian Barrera looking a bit like Marlon Brando) and Salvation Army Sergeant Sarah Brown (Nicole Raynor) with confident authority. I especially liked “I’ll Know” and “My Time of Day/I’ve Never Been in Love Before.” Robert Jerome and Colleen Chipman score well-earned laughs as Nathan Detroit and his long time (14 years) fiancée Miss Adelaide. Miss Chipman nailed “Adelaide’s Lament” and Mr. Jerome was a delight as he squirmed in his effort to secure a site for his floating crap game. The trio of Broadway low-lifes Nicely-Niceley Johnson (JohnRachuy), Benny Southstreet (Michael Perry) and Rusty Charlie (Brian Marsmaker) kicked the show into gear with always delightful “Fugue for Tinhorns.” James Chipman led a very competent 11-piece orchestra through the wonderful score. Amelia Souza-Hatcher’s costumes were bright and suitably colorful reflecting a stylized interpretation of the flamboyant garb of the denizens of Runyunland. The sets were easy on the eyes but sometimes took a long time to change, which impedes the flow of action. Guys and Dolls runs through August 2. And Don’t Forget… El Teatro Campesino brings back Sam Burguesa and the Pixie Chicks for a six-week run Aug 13 – Sep 19 at The Playhouse in San Juan Bautista… Jewel Theatre Company kicks off its 2009-2010 season with A. R. Gurney’s Sylvia Aug 20 – 30 at Actors’ Theatre in Santa Cruz… Odyssey Lots of Summer Shakespeare is around including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Julius Caesarat Shakespeare Santa Cruz through August and FREE Shakespeare provided by Shady Shakespeare in Sanborn-Skyline County Park (As you Like It and Richard III Aug 7 – Sep 13) and San Francisco Shakespeare Festival in Cupertino’s Memorial Park Amphitheater (The Comedy of Errors Aug 8 – 23 @ 7:30pm). As always, check OnStage for more information on these and other productions as well as upcoming auditions. See you at intermission.
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I had no need of the leather jacket, Basque beret and blankets that we schlepped into the Forest Theatre expecting the usual fog chilled evening. The customary roaring fires house left and right remained unlit. The balmy evening prepared a receptive audience for an utterly charming production of the now classic Lionel Bart musical Oliver! Pacific Repertory Theatre assembled a first rate cast of principals and a vast ensemble, which combined, my companion, the editor-in-chief, totaled up to 78 cast members. Under the direction of Katie O'Bryon, the show ripped along at a fast pace aided by the brisk musical direction of Michael Blackburn. 
Into this relatively mild conflict, 18 year-old Aileen Garrett (Melissa Wolfklain) takes up summer residence with her aunt, the Kingsley’s next-door neighbor May Bell Whitehead (Allison Briner). Despite the fact that the young Manhattan sophisticate is slated to marry a thirty year-old New York psychiatrist and the blacksmith is bound by tradition and locality, they are inevitably attracted to each other. Their burgeoning love affair is shattered by an untimely draft notice that comes hard on the heels of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Russell, whose love for neighbor May Bell was derailed when his draft notice sent him to the Normandy beachhead, fervently wishes his son to avoid the horrors of war and its subsequent emotional dislocation.
It was great to see SBSC’s production of Guys and Dolls at the Granada Theatre in Hollister even though I had a very long day that started at 3am in Troy, Ohio (midnight in California) and included a flight from Dayton with a stopover in Denver that forced me through sheer exhaustion to bag it after the first act. I love the show and just hearing the music again was a joy.
Theatre Company is back under the direction of founding artistic director Dr. Catherine Booth. She offers up the very popular Seussical featuring the immortal characters of Dr. Seuss including Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, the Whos of Whoville, The Cat in the Hat and more in a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza. Seussical runs Aug 13 – 23 in the Gilroy High School Theatre… Pintello Comedy Theater’s new production is Norm Foster’s Office Hours and features five actors (Rod Pintello and his son Simon Pintello, Donna Knippen, John Brewer and Sandi Lewandowski) playing seventeen parts. Office Hours runs Aug 14 – Sep 5… South Valley Civic Theatre presents The Butler Did It Aug 28 – Sep 19 at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse… The Western Stage’s late summer offerings are the ever popular Bye, Bye Birdie running Aug 15 – Sep 5 on the Hartnell College 
Performing Arts Main Stage and Nilo Cruz‘ passionate Pulitzer Prize winner Anna in the Tropics Aug 21 – Sep 13 in the Studio Theatre… Look for Mike Baker (my Sancho in the recent Man of La Mancha at PacRep) starring as Leo Bloom in MPC Theatre Company production of The Producers Aug 7 – 23 at Monterey Peninsula College… Cabrillo Stage’s 2009 Summer Rep Season continues with The Wizard of Oz featuring Ashley Little as Dorothy in the Cabrillo College Theater thru Aug 16… And Pacific Repertory Theatre presents OLIVER! at the Outdoor Forest Theatre in Carmel Aug 13 – Sep 27.
2009-2010
Dining Guide
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