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THEATRE NEWS FOR SAN FRANCISCO BAY AND OSF NEWS

Posted by:	Richard Connema 02:58 pm EST 01/26/14

42ND STREET MOON PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF “PAINTING THE CLOUDS WITH SUNSHINE” Music and Lyrics by Dorothy Fields, Oscar Hammerstein II, Lorenz Hart, Frank Loesser, Richard Rodgers, Harry Warren, and others. Book by Greg MacKellan and Mark D. Kaufmann Directed by Mark D. Kaufmann Musical Direction by Dave Dobrusky Choreography by Staci Arriaga : For the first time in 42nd Street Moon history the company will present a World Premiere: a brand new musical by Greg MacKellan and Mark D. Kaufmann, PAINTING THE CLOUDS WITH SUNSHINE, featuring a parade of sensational songs from the 1930s. In this snappy new work, the Great Depression is viewed through the prism of the “talking picture musicals” that swept the clouds away in the darkest times, as a jaded newsman and a struggling waitress try to find romance in glittery Tinseltown. Songs include Good Morning Glory, Sing You Sinners, Jeepers Creepers, Marahuana, and Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? April 2 – April 20, 2014 WHERE: The Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco TICKETS: $25 - $75 INFO: For information or to order tickets call (415) 255-8207 or visit 42ndStMoon.org ########################## OSF OPENS 2014 SEASON Previews of four opening productions begin Feb. 14, season opens Feb. 21 —The Tony Award–winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2014 preview performances begin February 14, and the season will open Friday night, February 21 in the Angus Bowmer Theatre with Shakespeare’s The Tempest (director, Tony Taccone). On Saturday, Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (Juliette Carrillo) takes the stage, as does the classic Marx Brothers musical The Cocoanuts (David Ivers), and Sunday afternoon Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors (Kent Gash) opens in the Thomas Theatre. “Each season I’m thrilled with the opportunity to offer our audiences the work of the world’s foremost playwrights brought to life by our amazing acting company,” said OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch. “And this season, our 79th year and Shakespeare’s 450th birthday, I find it very exciting that our classical theater is opening with four different types of classics: one of Shakespeare's most exuberant early works, The Comedy of Errors, his final masterpiece, The Tempest, the revival of the anarchic genius of the Marx Brothers in The Cocoanuts, and the special 50th anniversary production of a neglected classic by Lorraine Hansberry, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window. “I’m proud, too, that we have deliberately selected a playbill where the majority of our non-Shakespeare plays are written or co-written by women. In addition to the uniquely American story by Lorraine Hansberry, we are presenting the Pulitzer Prize–winning play, Water by the Spoonful, by Quiara Alegría Hudes; a world premiere musical, Family Album, with music co-written by Heidi Rodewald, and a world premiere adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time by Tracy Young. “We’re rechristening our outdoor space the Allen Elizabethan Theatre this season and presenting an amazing outdoor playbill that includes Richard III, with Dan Donohue in the title role, the debut at OSF of a Sondheim musical, Into the Woods, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, with an all-female cast. And the final play to open this season is the world premiere of Robert Schenkkan’s The Great Society, the second part of the LBJ story that began brilliantly with All the Way in 2012.” OSF’s 2014 season runs from February 14 through November 2 and is sponsored by U.S. Bank. Malia H. Wasson, president, U.S. Bank – Oregon & SW Washington, said, “For more than 30 years, U.S. Bank has been honored to support the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a part of its commitment to artistic and cultural enrichment in the communities it serves. An icon in the Oregon arts world, OSF offers its audiences that most amazing of gifts, rich and emotional experiences. The 2014 season promises both expected and unexpected pleasures.” The Tempest (February 14 – November 2) by William Shakespeare Lead Sponsors: U.S. Bank, Roberta and David Elliott; Production Sponsor: The Goatie Foundation; Production Partners: Lynne Carmichael, Jim Collier, Cynthia Muss Lawrence Tony Taccone, artistic director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, returns to direct another Shakespeare production at OSF after directing the memorable and highly popular Othello (1999) and Coriolanus (1996). This production will feature a long-absent company member, actor Denis Arndt, who will play the role of Prospero. Mr. Arndt had a long career at OSF from 1973 to 1988. Prospero’s tale begins as one of revenge: Exiled by family and friends, he has stewed for 12 long years on a remote island, sharpening his magic arts. At last, retribution seems within reach when his enemies’ ship veers close to the island, but his daughter, Miranda, works a strange magic of her own on her father. Heeding her cries for mercy, he ends the storm, and in this great Shakespearean romance, sorcery and love transmute vengeance into forgiveness. Mr. Taccone describes the setting as a “Renaissance of the imagination,” where the men of the Renaissance land in a magical world populated by otherworldly creatures such as the ethereal Ariel and her dancers and the earthly Caliban. In addition to Mr. Arndt, the cast features Alejandra Escalante as Miranda, Kate Hurster as Ariel, Wayne T. Carr as Caliban, Daniel José Molina as Ferdinand, Al Espinosa as Alonso, Jeffrey King as Antonio, Armando Durán as Sebastian, Bruce A. Young as Gonzalo, Barzin Akhavan as Trinculo, Richard Elmore as Stephano, Barret O’Brien as Boatswain and Jeremy Thompson and Kurt Langmeyer as Ensemble. Ariel Dancers are Will Cooper, Jordon Waters, Tim Rubel and David Silpa. Scenic design is by Daniel Ostling; costumes by Anita Yavich; lighting and projections by Alexander V. Nichols; music and sound by Andre J. Pluess; and movement by John Sipes and Sonja Delwaide. Barry Kraft is dramaturg; David Carey is voice & text director; and Gwen Turos is stage manager. The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (February 15 – July 3) by Lorraine Hansberry Production Partners: William F. Meehan III, Carole Howard It’s 1964, and Sidney Brustein is in his element: a Jewish intellectual in the heart of Greenwich Village, a hotbed of artists, activists and social upheaval. But nothing has brought him happiness—not his bohemian friends, his wife Iris, his failed folkie nightclub, or even his own lofty ideals. Then, when a turbulent political campaign sparks him into action and Iris begins yearning for a different life, he’s forced to decide what’s really worth fighting for. Directed by Juliette Carrillo, this 50th-anniversary production of a classic by Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun) explores the rocky landscape of love, choices and consequences with poignancy and biting humor. The script for this production has been painstakingly knit from several scripts that were previously published. The estate has given its permission for use of the new script and is delighted with the development. Director Carrillo and dramaturg Lue Morgan Douthit studied the differences and discussed the dramaturgical advantages of the various choices—very much like the literary research required for Shakespeare plays. The study illuminated the differences in stage practice among the original production in 1964, the 1987 revival at Arena Stage, and OSF’s current production. The cast features Ron Menzel as Sidney Brustein, Armando McClain as Alton Scales, Sofia Jean Gomez as Iris Parodus Brustein, Danforth Comins as Wally O’Hara, Peter Frechette as Max (2/15-3/15) and Jack Willis as Max (3/16-7/3), Erica Sullivan as Mavis Parodus Bryson, Benjamin Pelteson as David Ragin and Vivia Font as Gloria Parodus. Scenic design is by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams; costumes are by Christal Weatherly; lighting by James F. Ingalls; music and sound by David Molina; dramaturg is Lue Morgan Douthit; Rebecca Clark Carey is voice & text director; U. Jonathan Toppo is fight director, and D. Christian Bolender is stage manager. The Cocoanuts (February 16 – November 2) Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin; Book by George S. Kaufman; Adapted by Mark Bedard Lead Sponsor: Deedee and Burt McMurtry; Production Partners: Karen Easterbrook and Alex Sutton, Lynn and Gary Jacobs, Avista The anarchic and hilarious Marx Brothers return after the hugely popular 2012 production of Animal Crackers. Directed by David Ivers (The Taming of the Shrew, 2013), this production will also feature three of the actors who so brilliantly channeled the Marx Brothers two years ago. In The Cocoanuts, Groucho owns a bum hotel in Florida and peddles dubious real estate to gullible Northerners. He’s after a rich society lady, who’s after an eligible match for her daughter, who’s in love with the hotel’s clerk. Trouble rolls in when the other Marxes arrive, and the eligible match turns out to be anything but. This production not only features a new adaptation by Mark Bedard (Groucho in both the 2012 production of Animal Crackers and this season’s production), but also songs not heard since the original Broadway show in 1925. When Mr. Bedard became interested in recreating a Marx Brothers classic for OSF, he started his research with the archival script of the 1927 New York production. As he began working with music director Gregg Coffin, they realized that many songs from the play were cut from the movie and became passionate about restoring songs. Unable to find them through the Berlin estate, they sought help at the Library of Congress, and the OSF team discovered and accounted for 25 Irving Berlin musical numbers. This production will use full versions of 17 songs, and use the remainder for transitions. The cast features Mark Bedard as Mr. Hammer (Groucho), Brent Hinkley as Harpo, John Tufts as Chico, Eduardo Placer as Robert Jamison (Zeppo), K.T. Vogt as Mrs. Potter, Jennie Greenberry as Polly Potter, Robert Vincent Frank as Harvey Yates, Kate Mulligan as Penelope Martin, David Kelly as Detective Hennessey, Katie Bradley as Trixie, Erin O’Connor as Coco, and Miles Fletcher as Nate. Musicians are Darcy Danielson, Jim Malachi, Bruce McKern, Michael Caruso and Aaron Moffatt. Scenic design is by Richard L. Hay, costume design by Meg Neville; lighting by Marcus Doshi; sound design by Corinne Carrillo. Gregg Coffin is music director. Choreography by Jaclyn Miller, assisted by Robert Petrarca. Julie Felise Dubiner is dramaturg on the project. Rebecca Clark Carey is voice & text director, U. Jonathan Toppo is fight director, and Mandy Younger is stage manager. The Comedy of Errors (February 20-November 2) by William Shakespeare Production Sponsor: The Robert and Star Pepper Foundation; Production Partners: Jim Collier, Anonymous Applegate Donors, Andrew and Brenda Birrell Shakespeare’s crazy comedy about two sets of twins unaware of each other’s existence offers countless opportunities for mistaken identities and mass confusion. In this production, Antipholus and Dromio of the rural South (Syracuse in Shakespeare’s story) travel north to the big city and find themselves in the heart of the Harlem Renaissance (Ephesus)—and surprise! Suddenly there are two sets of identical Antipholi and Dromios. Chaos ensues, and meanwhile the clock is ticking down for a family member who is about to be executed. But this is a comedy, so count on one wild reunion and a pardon. The cast features Rodney Gardiner as both Dromios, Tobie Windham as the Antipholi, Omoze Idehenre as Adriana, Monique Robinson as Luciana, Tyrone Wilson as Egeon, R. J. Foster as Duke Solinus, Bakesta King as Courtesan, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp as Dr. Pinch, Ramiz Monsef as Angelo, Franchelle Stewart Dorn as Emilia, Steven Sapp as Balthazar, Keith Leroyal and Jerome Preston Bates as Merchants and Mark Murphey as Jailer. The scenic designer is Jo Winiarski, costumes are by Kara Harmon, lighting by Dawn Chiang, music and sound by Justin Ellington and Matt Callahan, video and projections by Shawn Duan and choreography by Byron Easley. Martine Kei Green-Rogers is dramaturg; Dawn-Elin Fraser is voice and text director; U. Jonathan Toppo is fight director, and Jeremy Eisen is stage manager. Biographies of directors, designers and actors for the 2014 season can all be found www.osfashland.org/. Previews, Openings and Tickets Tickets remain available to previews and most opening performances. Patrons can save 40 percent on preview tickets. Please check ticket availability www.osfashland.org or call the Box Office at 541-482-4331 or 800-219-8161. Preview and opening times and dates are as follows: The Tempest Friday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m. (preview) The Tempest Tuesday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m. (preview) The Tempest Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. (opening) The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 p.m. (preview) The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Wednesday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m. (preview) The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Saturday, Feb. 22, 1:00 p.m. (opening, please note special start time) The Cocoanuts Sunday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m. (preview) The Cocoanuts Thursday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m. (preview) The Cocoanuts Saturday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m. (opening) The Comedy of Errors Thursday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m. (preview) The Comedy of Errors Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. (preview) The Comedy of Errors Sunday, Feb. 23, 1:30 p.m. (opening) ########################## San Francisco Fringe Festival Will Pick Productions on February 15 for 2014 Theatre Fest 35 Theatre Companies will be chosen by lottery for the 23rd Annual Theatre Festival to run September 5-20, 2014 at the EXIT Theatreplex in San Francisco Applications still available until midnight, February 9 The annual lottery to choose the 35 shows for the 2014 San Francisco Fringe Festival will take place on Saturday, February 15 at 2:00 p.m. at the EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy Street in downtown San Francisco. The San Francisco Fringe Festival will again bring the best of bright, new, edgy performances of theatre, dance, clowning, magic, and all other sorts of presentations over 14 days (every day but Mondays) and three consecutive weekends, from Friday, September 5 to Saturday, September 20. Fringe performers come from all over the U.S. and beyond. The deadline for Applications is midnight, February 9, 2014. Applications are accepted only by email and can be obtained at www.sffringe.org. Last year, over 100 applications were received for the 35 slots, according to Artistic Director Christina Augello. All shows and performances are determined by lottery.Above: Last year, volunteer Nandi Drayton picked lottery winners as Fringe production manager Amanda Ortmayer and artistic director Christina Augello looked on. Photo: Gary Carr. Participants were selected in four categories: Local shows in 60 minute slots, Local shows in 90 minute slots, Non-Local shows in 60 minute slots, and Non-Local shows in 90 minute slots. The Festival includes 25 “Local” shows from Northern California and 10 “Non-Local.” Last year’s Non-Local shows included entrants from places like Aspen, CO, Atlanta, GA, Madison, WI, Portland, OR, Simi Valley, CA, Flushing, NY, and Austin, TX. ######################################## JOHN LEGEND ANNOUNCES 2014 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR “AN EVENING WITH JOHN LEGEND: THE ALL OF ME TOUR” Legend to play Santa Rosa’s Wells Fargo Center for the Arts April 1, 2014 Exclusive Pre-Sale for Citi Cardmembers Begins January 28; General Public On-sale January 31 at Noon Nine-time Grammy Award winning artist John Legend has announced dates for his 2014 North American tour titled “An Evening with John Legend: The All of Me Tour.” The tour which begins March 20th in Temecula, CA and goes through early June will feature John in an intimate and acoustic setting, highlighted by guitar/vocal accompaniment as well as a string quartet. The tour will stop at Santa Rosa’s Wells Fargo Center for the Arts on Tuesday, April 1, with an 8 p.m. performance, and other stops on the tour will include a night at the prestigious Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, CA on March 26th as well the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, NY on May 31st. Citi cardmembers have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, January 28th at 10 a.m.; for more information on how to purchase tickets with a Citi credit card in advance of the public sale, visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Tickets will be available to the general public beginning Friday, January 31 at noon, and can be purchased online at wellsfargocenterarts.org, by calling 707.546.3600, or in person at 50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa. The tour comes in support of Legend’s highly acclaimed fourth studio album Love In the Future which continues to gain momentum on the Billboard 200 Chart and currently sits in the top 10 on the R&B Album Chart. Produced by Legend and longtime collaborators Kanye West and Dave Tozer, the albums smash single “All of Me,” was recently certified Gold sales status. “Seeing John Legend live is an incredible experience, whether you’re in a theater or an intimate setting like the performance we’re hosting in New York next week,” said Jennifer Breithaupt, SVP of Entertainment Marketing for Citi. “We have tremendous respect for John as an artist, and are thrilled to be working with him on this upcoming tour.” Citi is offering cardmembers this exclusive presale as part of the Citi Private Pass entertainment program, which provides access to more than 10,000 events each year across music, sports, dining, comedy and family entertainment. These experiences range from preferred tickets and early access to top concert tours and sporting events to curated special events such as youth clinics with sports heroes, and VIP concert experiences including pre-show performances and Q&A. More information can be found on www.citiprivatepass.com. For more information on how to purchase tickets in advance of the public with a Citi credit card, for more info. ######################### Dragon Theatre’s new 2nd Stages series debuts in March in Redwood City Dragon's brand new 2nd Stages series launches in March. This new series will give local theatre makers the opportunity to fully produce their passion projects with the support of an established theatre company. This dynamic pairing will create an exciting new set of theatre options in downtown Redwood City. Making dreams a reality by sharing our experience and support – that’s the purpose of the 2nd Stages series. “I founded Dragon Productions as an actress wanting to create more theatre opportunities. I had performed on many stages across the country, but I didn’t know the first thing about producing theatre when I began. I did, however, know my passion projects, and I was determined to make my dreams come true. This series is for those artists, who, like me, want to see their passion theatre project come to life, but who might not have the opportunity, the money, or the know-how to make it happen. If we can give others the same opportunities then I’ll feel as if all our hard work has really been worthwhile. What good is a dream if you can’t share it with others? That is all I want to do with Dragon’s 2nd Stages program.” – Meredith Hagedorn, Founder and Executive Artistic director 2nd Stages shows run for two weeks only on Fridays at 8p, Saturdays at 2p and 8p, and Sundays at 2pm. The flat rate ticket price of $15 per show will make trying something new both affordable and accessible to the general public. For the inaugural season we’ve chosen the following four productions for the 2nd Stages series at Dragon Productions: Some Girl(s)  by Neil LaBute   produced and directed by Jeffrey Lo  March 7 - March 16, 2014 Picture this: you’re an up and coming writer with a blossoming career and a beautiful fiancée who loves you dearly. What would you do in this situation? In this dark comedy by Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, The Shape of Things) you’d have a life crisis and go on a cross-country tour to visit your ex-girlfriends. LaBute’s play is a portrait of an artist who steps back to look at past mistakes—and figure out what to do with the scars that still linger. The Birthday Party  by Harold Pinter  produced and directed by Jenny Hollingworth June 6 - June 15, 2014 Highly controversial when it opened in 1958 and now considered a classic, The Birthday Party is one of Pinter’s least subtle plays. Set in a seaside boarding house, it is part black comedy and part whodunit, with the central action literally happening in the dark. Like all great literature, it asks timeless questions: How can we be sure that anyone is who he says he is? Is it ever possible to pin down the truth of the past? And can we ever escape our deepest fears? Take Me Out  by Richard Greenberg   produced by Dale Albright July 11 - July 20, 2014 Darren has it all. He’s one of the biggest baseball stars on the planet. Millions of adoring fans. Endorsements. And then he decides to come out of the closet. This winner of the 2003 Tony Award for Best New Play and Pulitzer Prize finalist tackles homophobia and racism amidst America’s most traditional pastime. Arc:hive presents: A Moment (Un)Bound: Or, The Unreal Past  an original new work produced by Lessa Bouchard  September 19 - September 28, 2014 A new work exploring the tension between what we hold onto and what we let go of: how do we know which is which? The emerging whimsical text and themes are inspired by the notes and clippings left behind in the books donated to Friends of the Library in Palo Alto. More details about the team building this production and workshop performances can be found online at http://www.arc-hive.org WHERE: Dragon Theatre in downtown Redwood 2120 Broadway Street Redwood City, CA 94063 HOW TO GET TICKETS: Visit http://dragonproductions.net/box-office/2014tickets.html or call 650-493-2006 x 2 and leave a message and the box office will call you back within 48 hours. Email tickets@dragonproductions.net for ticket related questions, group sales inquiries, or questions about the VIP box. ###################### DIVAfest presents “The Queen of Hearts,” a Gala Fundraiser, Wednesday, February 19, 7PM . This year’s DIVAfest Gala theme, The Queen of Hearts, is a dual salute to Valentine’s Day and the upcoming Alice in Wonderland inspired burlesque show scheduled to premiere at the 13th annual DIVAfest, May 1-24. Gala attendees will enjoy a rouge-clad Wonderland featuring festival excerpts, guest performers, music, antics and surprises. Red attire encouraged as the DIVAs gather for cocktails Wednesday February 19th at 7 PM, followed by performance at 8 PM at EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy Street,in downtown San Francisco. VIP tables: $150, Premium Seating: $50, Mezzanine Seating: $25. All proceeds go to support the 13th annual DIVAfest, May 1-24. Tickets and more information at www.DIVAfest.info Gala performances will include short upcoming festival excerpts from Kristen Hersh’s RAT GIRL, based on a memoir from the songwriter, guitarist and founder of the seminal art rock band Throwing Muses, adapted for the stage by Stuart Bousel. Ms. Hersh was a major player in creating a female presence in the rock and hardcore punk world’s. Also featured is a sneak peek into AT THE WHITE RABBIT BURLESQUE…a fully staged theatrical burlesque show celebrating all the Alice icons as they slide down the rabbit hole and PAS DE QUATRE, a Dramatic Comedy that explores the “behind the scenes” making of the celebrated ballet Le Pas de Quatre and the divas who dance it.

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