SAN DIEGO THEATRE SCENE

"CURTAIN CALLS" #234

By Pat Launer

www.sdtheatrescene.com

3/14/08

 

Luann and Lughnasa don’t seem to gel

But on local stages, You Never Can Tell.

 

 

Irish Eyes

 

THE SHOW: Dancing at Lughnasa, written in 1990 by Brian Friel, whom many consider Ireland’s greatest living playwright

 

THE STORY: It’s a memory play, narrated by Michael Mundy, who’s recalling the fateful summer of 1936, when he was 7 years old. He floats in and out of the action, which takes place in the small cottage shared by the five spinster Mundy sisters (his four aunts, and the mother who shamed them by having an out-of-wedlock child, one they dote on devotedly). The sisters live in the imaginary town of Ballybeg in the rural northwest of county Donegal, home to several of Friel’s works. 

 

Stern and stiff-backed oldest sister Kate struggles to maintain a good Catholic lifestyle, but Christianity is constantly butting up against paganism, in the form of the annual summer Festival celebrating Lugh, god of light and the harvest, as well as the African traditions brought back by Jack, the sisters’ befuddled brother, who just returned from 25 years as a missionary, where he embraced the natives’ decidedly un-Christian customs and ceremonies. The tension between the two ideologies threatens the family’s tenuous harmony, which is punctuated by visits from Michael’s jaunty, rudderless father, Gerry. It’s an era of social change: the Depression and War are looming. Inside, the symbol of change is the new radio (affectionately dubbed ‘Marconi’) which only works sporadically, but inspires a spirit of freedom and expressiveness in the repressed household. This, Michael tells us, is the summer where crises come to a head and the family falls apart.

THE PLAYERS/THE PRODUCTION: The production is lovely. Nick Fouch has designed a suitably spare cutaway cottage (though it seems awfully lush outside for this godforsaken area, typically portrayed as bleak and barren). The sepia lighting (Ashley Jenks) serves the setting well, and the costumes (Mary Larson) are suitably dowdy gray/brown. The accents (coached by Irish native Grace Delaney) are generally quite well managed.

Joshua Everett Johnson is marvelously wistful as Michael, a playful tease as a lad, who seems to have grown into a melancholy young man. Kristianne Kurner plays yet another rigid, sensible oldest sister (as in NVA’s Crimes of the Heart and Three Sisters), but she’s excellent in the role. And in a twist on most productions, she doesn’t join her sibs in the magical scene when they all spontaneously start dancing with uncommon abandon, and nearly veer out of control. Kate can’t countenance this silliness, or at least, she can’t allow her sisters to see her do so. So while they’re all wildly cavorting in the house, she goes out into the yard, and allows herself one quick moment of physical release, sadly unseen. It’s one of several interesting directorial choices by Esther Emery. Another is less felicitous. When Jack starts tapping two sticks together rhythmically, and begins to recall the pagan rituals of Africa, that should be as exciting and unpredictable a moment as the indoor dancing. Instead of being the potent antithesis of the dance, it’s a throwaway moment. Nonetheless, Charlie Riendeau is compelling as poor, bewildered Jack; though the accent comes and goes, the confusion at being caught between two cultures is thoroughly convincing.

Amanda Sitton is delectable as Michael’s romantic mother, who gets swept away every time merry Gerry shows up (pseudo-urbane, cane-twirling Manny Fernandes), but who’s level-headed enough not to be taken in by his promises. Sitton’s expressive face lights up in a dreamy daze every time she dances with him. Lovely. Amanda Morrow is forceful as calm, composed Agnes, who has long-suppressed passion  roiling under the surface. The subtlety of her attraction to Gerry is nicely played. PJ Anbey isn’t quite as simple as some Roses I’ve seen. And her accent is the least consistent. But in accent, humor, music and sheer force of personality, it’s Grace Delaney as the singing/cooking Maggie who’s the delight of this charming production. The final stage picture is heartrending, as the sisters sway almost imperceptibly to their beloved music, while Michael tells us of their fate. Not all the emotional depths are plumbed in this production, but what’s here is enchanting.

THE LOCATION: New Village Arts, through March 30

 

BOTTOM LINE: Best Bet

 

 

Crazy Coincidences

 

THE SHOW: You Never Can Tell, a four-act play written in 1897 by George Bernard Shaw. It was published as part of a volume of works he called “Plays Pleasant.” He considered the improbable plot to represent “the long arm of coincidence”

 

THE STORY: Set in an English seaside resort, the farcical, fin de siècle comedy focuses on the Clandon/Crampton family. Mrs. Clandon, a popular writer, is a self-appointed expert on the 20th century New Woman. Gloria, her oldest offspring, is a level-headed, scientifically minded feminist following closely in her mother’s no-nonsense footsteps. The two younger, terminally inquisitive brats, are the inseparable (and often insufferable) twins, Dolly and Phillip. The children don’t know who their father is, and they think it’s high time they found out.

 

In the first of many unlikely twists of fate, he turns out to be Mr. Crampton, the curmudgeonly landlord of the impoverished dentist Valentine, who’s gaga for Gloria (and though she doesn’t dare admit it, vice versa). It’s been 18 years since Mr. and Mrs. C have seen each other, and when they do, sparks fly. The wild antics of the wacky family are offset by several voices of reason: a sad-eyed barrister who once pined for Mrs. C; and the smartest and most level-headed one of all, the Waiter whose sage advice includes the titular bit of wisdom. In a clever class reversal, the Waiter bemoans the fact that his son has become an attorney, and naturally, he turns out to be the one called in to settle the family case once and for all.

 

Irish-born Shaw is taking his usual potshots at the English, satirizing their class distinctions and parenting skills, pitting romantic love against scientific rationality and a liberated woman against a frivolous roué. And, in typical Shavian style (even if this isn’t one of his more significant works), just about everyone comes out looking foolish.

THE PLAYERS/THE PRODUCTION: The play is enormously silly, but it requires extreme expertise to pull off with aplomb. Fortunately, Moonlight Stage Productions has all the right folks for the job. Jason Heil makes an impressive San Diego directing debut -- in the same theater where he made his local acting debut (The Goodbye Girl, 2004). He elicits an ideal mix of wit (Shaw is ever-clever, you know), physical humor and comic timing. In Act I on opening night, the young whippersnappers (Rachael van Wormer and Tom Zohar) seemed to be way over the top and bellowing relentlessly. But once they settled into the hilarity of their mirror-image inanity, they were delectable. Christy Yael is wonderful as Gloria, who gets tripped up in her own ideology, as does the rakish Valentine (funny Jason Maddy). Jim Chovick’s Crampton is crusty and irascible on the outside, but reveals a smidge of sensitivity on the inside (a little more of the latter would be even better, so the last-minute reversal doesn’t seem quite so abrupt).  Jill Drexler is a pleasantly dotty Mrs. Clandon, a fascinating mélange of intellectual high-handedness and laissez-faire childrearing. As the family solicitor, Danny Campbell (too rarely seen on local stages) seems amusingly overwhelmed by all the machinations, while he secretly moons over the Mrs. In the final moments, John Garcia comes on with supercilious self-importance, to set things right. And through it all, unflappable and unfailingly shrewd, is Walter Ritter as that international literary device, the astute servant. 

Mike Buckley’s set and Jeanne Reith’s costumes are stylish and elegant. It’s all too too terribly charming, my deah, and deliciously good fun.

THE LOCATION: Moonlight Stage Productions, through March 23

BOTTOM LINE: Best Bet

 

 

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

 

THE SHOW: Luann: Scenes in a Teen’s Life, based on the popular comic strip, with book, music and lyrics by the daily strip’s creator, Greg Evans, a San Marcos resident. This is only the second production of the musical, which premiered in 2006 at Rancho Buena Vista High School. After this brief Palomar College run, the show is scheduled for a youth theater production at Huntington Beach Playhouse in August.

 

THE STORY/THE PLAYERS/THE PRODUCTION: As the title suggest, it’s just scenes, like panels in a comic strip. Evans offers us all the great one-liners he crams into his strips. He has some crafty ideas, but when it comes to lyrics, his rhyming isn’t exactly Sondheimian (his 24-song  score features glaring pairs like life/nice; fabulous/glamorous; crazy/amaze me, and word accents are invariably put on the wrong syllables: “Don’t wor-RY/It’s ancient histo-RY”). Overall, the music is bland, derivative and decidedly retro. It’s hard to tell when this show is supposed to be set. If it weren’t for the cellphones and mall-rats, we’d think we were in the late ‘50s or early ‘60s. In an age of racial/sexual intolerance and weapons in schools, the biggest concerns of these teens is cleaning up their rooms, going shopping and what to do during summer vacation. And judging by the 24-person Palomar cast, everyone in this high school seems to be white, despite the fact that Delta, one of the main characters in the strip, is African American.

 

“Confusion” is a witty number (about the mixed messages sent to girls in the ‘beauty-tip’ department) and gender distinctions are brought into sharp focus in “Woman Is.”  The 6-piece band, onstage behind a scrim, sounds muted and synthesized; it could be a lot more lively and energetic.

 

A good deal of time and energy obviously went into this project. Dana Case is an inventive director; there are some cute moves in some of the songs. Her principals bear uncanny resemblances to the strip’s characters. As 16 year-old Luann, Rachel Robinson is perky and talented. Sean Hinnify looks and acts perfect as her 19 year-old loser/slacker brother Brad. Alyssa Schindler is totally channeling egghead Bernice, and Caitlin Kunkle’s stuck-up Tiffany is spot-on (hair, hip-swivel and all), with her ‘Posse’ in tow. The best part of the production is the projections of Evans’ drawings, which provide the backdrop for each of the nine scenes. He’s unequivocally a master at what he does; he needs a lot more refining-time in musical theater. But this is an incredibly ambitious freshman effort.

 

THE LOCATION: Howard Brubeck Theatre at Palomar College, through March 16

 

 

NEWS AND VIEWS ….

…Doin’ what I love the way I love to do it… I’m back presenting my weekly radio reviews -- at KSDS Jazz 88.3. Tune in at 9am every Friday, and take “Center Stage with Pat Launer,” at 88.3 FM. The web-stream runs a few minutes behind. Not to worry if you miss the 9am broadcast; you can read or listen to my reviews, at any time, at www.jazz88.org

 

…Albee at 80… This year’s SDSU Design/Performance Jury is extra special. First, it’s the 25th anniversary of the wonderful annual event Beeb Salzer created. Second, it’s Beeb’s final Jury, since he retires in May. And third, it pays special tribute to Edward Albee, who turns 80 this month. The play is Albee’s 1959 one-act, The Death of Bessie Smith, which considers the (possibly racist) circumstances surrounding the jazz great’s death (which were later proved to be untrue). Don’t miss this exciting experience, as students present their plans for a proposed production, which are critiqued by a panel that includes Albee, playwright Stephen Metcalfe and actor/SDSU alumna Marion Ross. Firday, March 28, SDSU Experimental Theatre, 9:00-2:30.

 

… Jack rides again! The London production of Hairspray broke all records in the Olivier Awards (the English equivalent of the Tonys). The musical, directed by our own Jack O’Brien, garnered the most nominations for a single production in one year --  11 noms across 10 categories. Just as the show swept the Tonys five years ago, it took four major prizes at the Oliviers this week, including Best Musical.

 

.. Ch-ch-ch-changes at 6th @ Penn… Matt Thompson is rarin’ to go, so he’s taking up the reins a little early. He becomes the new artistic director of 6th @ Penn on April 1st, at which time the space will be renamed the COMPASS THEATRE. Matt is teeming with ideas, so stay tuned for innovations coming to the Hillcrest venue.

 

… More Changes @ The Penn: The scheduled production of Phil Johnson & Mike Sears' Nemesis, produced by Vox Nova Theatre, has been postponed due to a family emergency. A new production date will be announced in the near future.  In the meantime, Craig Wright’s Orange Flower Water, directed by Jerry Pilato, will step into the open slot, beginning this weekend (3/15-4/6). And coming up, Vox Nova will present a reading of a new play, Borne Forth on the Waves, by Kristen Brandt, former artistic director of Sledgehammer Theatre, April 28. info@voxnovatheatrecompany.com

 

… Changes at The Theatre Playhouse, Inc, too… The current production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest has been forced to move, due to contractual conflicts at the Ark Theatre downtown. Artistic director Douglas Lay immediately found a new venue; the show resumes this weekend, and continues Fridays and Saturdays at 8, through March 29, at Twiggs Coffee Lounge on Park Blvd. in Hillcrest. For all the details, go to www.thetheatreinc.com

 

… UCSD alums in the spotlight… Ryan Shams, a very talented graduate of the MFA program in acting, will appear in “Law and Order” on Wed. March 19 on NBC. He plays an Albanian American attorney whose uncle is a crime boss… And first-year MFA Playwriting student Ron McCants just received Honorable Mention for the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, for his one-act, The Strangest Fruit. The piece will be part of this year’s Baldwin New Play Festival, coming to UCSD next month. Another presentation at the BNPF next month will be Jen Barclay's play The Attic Dwellers, which just received second place for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Science Playwriting Award.

 

… And another playwriting award… with many San Diego connections. The finalists have been announced for the prestigious Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for 2007, which includes $40,000 presented by the American Theatre Critics Association. Among the six finalists is Naomi Iizuka, who now heads the MFA Playwriting program at UCSD. Her Strike-Slip premiered last spring at the Humana Festival. Another finalist is Moisés Kaufman, whose 33 Variations has its West coast premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse next month. And Sarah Ruhl, whose provocative comedy, The Clean House, is currently at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, was nominated for Dead Man’s Cell Phone, which premiered at Washington’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and is now running at Playwrights Horizons in New York. Good luck to all.

 

... Bone up on your accents and dialects. Check out Amy Walker at youtube.com. She’s a young actor who was featured on NPR… and she assays 21 accents in 2.5 minutes. Awesome! (see if you can guess which one is her native dialect!)

 

 

THE READING CORNER

Honor St. Patrick… by celebrating the great Irish literary tradition:

 

…New Village Arts: Brian Friel’s Molly Sweeney, timed to coincide with the mainstage production of Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. 7:30pm on March 16 in NVA’s Carlsbad home. www.newvillagearts.org

 

… Chronos Theatre Group: two classic Irish works: J.M. Synge’s Riders of the Sea , The Gaol Gate by Lady Gregory. 7:30 on March 17th at the Lyceum.

 

…, Carlsbad Playreaders: The Loud, Red Patrick, by John Boruff and Ruth McKenney. March 17, 7:30pm in Carlsbad’s Dove Library.

 

… and if you want to participate in a reading, check out the San Diego Shakespeare Society’s informal, open readings. There are no fees, reservations, no auditions required. Just show up at the Actors Alliance rehearsal space (Suite 204) in the Dance Place building at NTC. The director is Rupert Essinger, a Shakespeare fan from Leicester, England (the mythical burial place of King Lear). The scenes will come from Twelfth Night. The date is Thurs. March 27, 6:45-8:45pm.

 

 

EVERYBODY DANCE!

… The final In Studio Performances of the San Diego Ballet season will take place this weekend. Meet the dancers and see previews of next season’s world premiere, Romeo and Juliet, including the haunting ‘farewell’ pas de deux. 3/14-16 at Dance Place (Suite 102) at NTC. www.sandiegoballet.org

 

… The FIRST In Studio Showing is coming up at Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theatre. The Dance Place event (suite 108) will feature works in progress by Isaacs and a variety of other choreographers. Tickets at the door. Friday, March 28 at 7 and 9pm. www.sandiegodancetheater.org

 

… The Patricia Rincon Dance Collective stages its ‘underground’ dance-theater event, featuring a multi-medium collaboration: dance, visual art installations, photography, video montages and original music, followed by a social hour. March 15 and 16 at 8pm, downtown San Diego. For details, go to http://www.rincondance.org/events.htm

 

… And still more Dance… there’s a new tap-place in town. My former producer at KUSI, Larisa Hall, has opened a tap dancing studio. And that skill is something every musical theater performer (and a lot of other actors) should have. Tap Fever Studios is staging Open House events in La Jolla March 16 and 30. The Grand Opening is April 1. I’m thinking of doing it myself! www.tapfever.com.

 

 

 

'NOT TO BE MISSED!' (Pat’s Picks)

 

Dancing at Lughnasa – lovely production of a beautifully written play

New Village Arts, through 3/30

 

You Never Can Tell – all the wit and humor G.B. Shaw – or anyone -- could want

Moonlight at the Avo, through 3/23

 

The American Plan – flawed but intriguing play, gorgeously designed and performed

Old Globe’s Cassius Carter, through 3/30

 

The Clean House – quirky comedy, with dark undertones and some fine performances

San Diego Repertory Theatre, through 3/22

 

A Shayna Maidel – poignant play with a star-turn at its center

North Coast Repertory Theatre, through 3/23

 

Tick, Tick… BOOM! –energetic, rock-infused identity angst, from the creator of Rent

Stone Soup Theatre Company at the Academy of Performing Arts, through 3/30

 

Permanent Collection – provocative play, excellently presented

Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company at the 10th Avenue Theatre, through 3/16

 

The Seven – hip and hip hop; young, fresh, exciting, and wonderfully performed

La Jolla Playhouse, through 3/16

 

 

(For full text of all of Pat’s past reviews, going back to 1990, use the Search engine at www.patteproductions.com)

 

 

 

Welcome the first day of Spring… at the theater!

Pat

 

© 2008 PATTÉ PRODUCTIONS, INC.

 

For more than 20 years, Pat Launer has been the only regular broadcast theater critic in San Diego. An Emmy Award-winner with a Ph.D. in Communication Arts & Sciences, Pat sees and reviews more than 200 local theater productions every year. For the past decade, she has hosted and produced The Patté Awards for Theatre Excellence, a gala community event that honors local theatermakers (“San Diegans making theater for San Diego”) and celebrates the broad diversity of San Diego theater.