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Regional Reviews: San Francisco The Light in the Piazza, Living Together and
This marks the third time I have seen this ambitious, sumptuous musical, beginning with its Broadway presentation starring Victoria Clark and Kelli O'Hara. This Robert Kelley production is just as good as the Broadway and touring productions, while also being more intimate. Adam Guettel's score is more heavily orchestrated than the average Broadway score, and the composer has drawn melodies from classical and opera styles. The Chicago Tribune described it as "the most beautiful score written for the American musical theater in at least 20 years." I am inclined to agree; it is one of the most beautiful new scores I have heard in years. As Clara, the silver-voiced Whitney Bashor (national tours of Happy Days and Whistle Down the Wind, Off Broadway The Fantasticks) has a voice to love. She has a beaming soprano voice especially when singing "The Beauty Is," "The Light in the Piazza" and "Tirade." Her acting as a 26-year-old beauty whose emotional and mental abilities were arrested as a child is perfect. Constantine Germanacos (Encores' Fanny) gives an attractive performance as Fabrizio. He has a dynamic voice and his rendition of the operatic "Il Mondo Era Vuoto" is exquisite. He has great chemistry with Whitney in the duets. Rebecca Eichenberger (i>The Phantom of the Opera, 1776, A Grand Night for Singing) as Margaret, the mother of Clara, has a commanding voice, particularly in the song "Dividing Day" when she thinks of the emptiness of her marriage to a cigarette magnate still in North Carolina. Her soliloquies are filled with emotional texture. Martin Vidnovic (Tony nomination for Brigadoon Drama Desk Award for Baby and LA Drama Critic's Award for A Grand Night for Singing) is charming as Signor Naccarelli, Fabrizio's courtly father. He has wonderful vocal chops on "Let's Walk" and the quintet "Aiutami." Nicolas Aliaga (singing and directing throughout the Bay Area for the last fourteen years) is excellent as Giuseppe, and Ariela Morgenstern (played the role at the Arena Stage) as the angry, envious and voluptuous Franca gives a winning performance. Her rendition of "The Joy You Feel" is inspiring. Caroline Altman (many 42nd Street Moon productions and the Woodminster Summer Series) is delightful as Signora Naccarelli, Fabrizio's mother. Colin Thomson (many San Jose Stage performances) as the priest and Richard Frederick as Margaret's husband Roy are very good in their smaller roles. The cast is completed with Chelsea Nenni and Noel Wood who are effective in small non-speaking role as Florentines. J.B. Wilson has designed a superb set of sepia-colored moving archways that seem to glide into a never-ending number of configurations. It looks and feels like Florence, Italy. Fumiko Bielefeldt's outfits are smart and chic, and Cliff Caruthers' sound design is effective for the atmosphere of the city. Pamila Z. Gray's lighting bathes everything in rich sunlight and shadows. The five-piece orchestra under the direction of William Liberatore is perfect and it brings out the best in Adam Guettel's complicated score. Bravo to Robert Kelley for his spot-on direction of this musical. The Light in the Piazza plays through September 19 at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View. For tickets call 650-463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org. Their next production will be Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts opening on October 6th and running through October 31st. Photo: Tracy Martin
Alan Ayckbourn aims to make each play work independently while being a piece of a theatrical puzzle, which the playwright loves. Living Together takes place in the living room of the home that is the setting for all three plays. Annie (Zehra Berkman) is a woman facing single adulthood and growing tired of the well-intentioned but passionless courtship of her veterinarian friend Tom (Josiah Polhemus). Annie's brother Reg (Mick Mize) and her sister-in-law Sarah (Kendra Lee Oberhauser) have come to the country to house sit and take care of Reg and Annie's invalid mother, whom we never see. Put into this mix is free-spirited Norman (Richard Reinholdt), the protagonist of the group. Annie is secretly planning to go on holiday with Norman. Sarah finds out and asks Norman's wife Ruth (Sarah Mitchell) to come for the weekend in an effort to stop this liaison. However, Ruth is more interested in her profession than any romantic entanglements that Norman has. Of course, everything goes downhill as the audience witnesses rapid-fire interchanges that are absolutely hilarious. Ayckbourn's dialogue sparkles and the situations are uproarious, especially in the scene as Reg attempts to explain a complicated board game to dim-witted Tom. It is something out of a Monty Python skit. Once again, this superb cast gets everything right. The timing is impeccable and each of the actors has a turn to shine in this two-hour comedy. They have the British accent down pat also. Richard Reinholdt looks like and acts like a charming teddy bear who can be quite maddening as he causes many an irritating interchange with the other characters. It's is a tour de force of droll acting with expert timing. Kendra Lee Oberhauser as Sarah is perfect as she brings overwrought energy to the stage every time she is on. Mike Mize as the clownish Reg and Josiah Polhemus as the hapless Tom give hilarious performances. Zehra Berkman does a bang-up performance as Annie. Sarah Mitchell is perfect as the intolerant and provoking Ruth. Molly Aaronson-Gelb has directed a sharp production bringing out the best of the British playwright in this stimulating comedy. Nina Ball has designed a wonderful living room set that looks typically British. Valera Coble's costumes are excellent also. Living Room is playing in repertory with the other two Norman Conquest comedies through September 5th. The theatre is located at 1901 Ashby Ave, Berkeley. For tickets please call 510-841-6500 or visit www.shotgunplayers.org. Photo: Robin Phillips
A cut down touring version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast recently returned to the Golden Gate Theatre. After seeing the original in New York and the touring company in Los Angeles in 1994, I could see that this show has lost some of its patina. Networks' presentation is some 15 to 20 minutes shorter and two songs have been cut ("No Matter What" duet sung by Maurice and Belle and "Maison des Lunes" by Gaston, Lefou and Monsieur d' Argue). According to the producers, this helps the storytelling and changes some things around. It is more about relationships than spectacle. The slapstick encounter between the crowd that attacks Beast's castle and his captivated household-objects is now missing. The stage has been opened up with inexpensive sets so the audience can see the energy-driven choreography. On opening night, the kids in the audience were entranced by the telling of the classic story. The cast is smaller but the dancing to Matt West's energy-driven choreography is excellent. The chorus of singers and dancers make the show come alive. "Be My Guest" with Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and the Enchanted Objects is a vigorous singing and dancing scene. Liz Shivener makes a charming Belle with good vocal chops, especially in the second act. Justin Glaser is a delightfully bulky Beast with a powerful voice shown on Alan Menken's tunes. He phrases the lyrics of Howard Ashman and Tim Rice very well. Nathaniel Hackmann hams it up as the macho Gaston, looking a bit like Li'l Abner. He has a booming voice in his numbers. His sidekick is played wonderfully by Michael Fatica. a gifted clown; his athletic prowess is perfect. Sabina Petra as Mrs. Potts, Merritt David Janes as Lumiere, Keith Kirkwood as Cogsworth, and Jen Bechter as Madame de la Grande Bouche are individually and as a group amiable. Christopher Spencer, who has a striking resemblance to Henry Gibson, is very good as Belle's father Maurice. Disney's Beauty and Beast ran through August 29th at the Golden Gate Theatre. Visit beautyandthebeastontour.com for more information on the tour. Dreamgirls runs through September 26th at the Curran. For tickets please call 888-SHN-1799 or visit www.shnsf.com.
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