May 2013
7 posts
13 tags
Musical Monday: Tony Awards Edition
This marks the first week of highlighting the musicals that are up for the Best Revival category. This is one of Stephen Schwartz’s most coveted of scores, and it has come back to Broadway this season. With a high-flying circus mentality, the reviews and reactions from fans have been soaring in favor. So here is a sneak peek into this week’s Musical Monday highlight![[MORE]]
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Musical Monday: Tony Awards Edition
This week’s Musical Monday highlight is the final one of the Best New Musical category. Next week I will switch over to the Best Revival of a Musical category. However, I have saved this timeless classic for last for a reason. I read the book years ago, saw the movie multiple times as a kid (who didn’t if you are a 90’s kid?). So without further withholding of information,...
8 tags
"The Arabian Nights" show #344
(Cast members of The Arabian Nights; Photo Credit: Mark Crosse/The Fresno Bee)
This past Tuesday I took in the first performance of the final week of Fresno State’s season concluding play, The Arabian Nights. Director/Choreographer Ruth Griffin has taken Mary Zimmerman’s script and sculpted a finely crafted ensemble piece led incredibly by some strong actors. To see The Arabian...
9 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday
Hot off the recent press, there has been another 2013/2014 season officially announced. This one makes me particularly excited because now I know which national touring musicals I will have coming right into my backyard. Plus, it is a 4 show season filled with titles that I am either excited to see for the first time, or excited to revisit. So here it is; the 2013/2014 season of Broadway...
8 tags
Musical Monday: Tony Awards Edition
The past years have brought a lot of Hollywof favorites to the Broadway stage. The list is endless; but none really having the holiday “spirit” this week’s musical highlight has. It did so well in its limited holiday run this past season that they are reviving it again this coming year. Plus it received several nominations. So here is the second week of Musical Monday: Tony...
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Season Announcement Wednesday
Another national touring group has announced their show season so it is my pleasure to highlight it this week. I have enjoyed every show I have seen with this group; mainly because of its accessibility, pricing, and location. Bay Area residents, Valley residents, and even Northern California residents can make a fun day trip heading to this theater to check out a show. So without further...
12 tags
Musical Monday: Tony Awards Edition
Hello! I know, I know…Musical Monday is late this week…again. But this week was intentional because yesterday the Tony Award nominations were announced so the following Mondays (and today) will be featuring the musical nominations that are up for Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical. Now, a couple of them I have already featured, such as Bring It On: The Musical, Annie, and The...
April 2013
9 posts
14 tags
Musical Monday...errr...Wednesday?
This week’s Musical Monday highlight (late again…i know :/) is in honor of the baseball season coming into full gear now! My two loves by far are theatre and sports, specifically baseball. Now, even though I am a Giants and Red Sox fan, the only really big name musical happens to have the evil Yankees in the name. So aside from that, here is a tribute to a wonderful baseball...
18 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday...eerrr...Thursday
Hottttttt off the presses from Merced we have an exciting 2013/2014 season to announce that will make any actor want to audition and any patron want to attend. So even though I’m a day late, without further ado I am thrilled to highlight the 2013/2014 season of Playhouse Merced![[MORE]]
Shows/Dates: Les Miserables (August 30 - September 15), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (September 27 - October...
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Musical Monday: Play Edition
Sometimes plays debut and do not get as much recognition as they should. Occasionally, a play has some beautifully written music accompany it. This has become a theme for the past few years with examples such as Peter and the Starcatcher and War Horse. Now those two plays won several awards for their works, while this one was less tributed. So here it is this week for a crazy installment of...
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"I Am My Own Wife" show #343
“She doesn’t run a museum; she is a museum.” That just about sums up the multi-Award winning (Pultizer, Tony) play written by Doug Wright on the life of Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf. With only two performances left (this evening at 8pm, and tomorrow at 2pm at the Fresno Art Museum, Bonner Auditorium) you do not want to miss this fascinatingly detailed production performed and...
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Season Announcement Wednesday...eerrr...Thursday?
This week I am paying tribute to another national touring company that has been quite entertaining to me over the years. They are a nice drive away from me, and even closer to those in the Bay Area and Northern California. So if I can make the 2.5 hour drive and feel more than satisfied, you can too! So here is the newly announced 2013/2014 touring season of Broadway Sacramento![[MORE]]
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Musical Monday...errr...Wednesday?
So this week’s delayed Musical Monday is an all-time honored favorite of mine. Not only because the music, lyrics and story are all brilliant; but it was the first show of my Road to 1,000 count. So here is a Tony-winning treasure that Broadway fans should love![[MORE]]
Musical Monday date: 4/10/2013
Musical: Ragtime
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and...
6 tags
"The Mountaintop" show #342
I have been on a roll in terms of seeing shows that provide an in-depth look at some of America’s favorite figures. This past Easter Sunday I went up to Palo Alto to check out the soon-to-be-closed production (closes April 7th) of The Mountaintop. This two person play takes the audience in for a jam-packed hour and a half peek at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s final hours in the...
12 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday
Hot off the presses, literally! Today, this week’s highlighted company announced their 2013/2014. Of the 6, I already know 3 that I will be dying to see; assuming I can’t make them all of course. So it is with great pleasure that I highlight the 2013/2014 season of Marin Theatre Company![[MORE]]
Shows/Dates: Good People (August 22nd - September 15th); I And You (October 10th -...
16 tags
Musical Monday
Musical Monday may be late but never absent! This week’s show is one that is an all-time favorite of mine. Having seen several productions as well as doing it; I can safely say that this is probably one the most beloved musicals of my theatre life. So hopefully you’ll rekindle your love for, or, find out something new for this week’s Musical Monday![[MORE]]
Musical Monday...
March 2013
24 posts
9 tags
Guest Theatre Review: "Paint Your Wagon"
So now that I have gone full throttle back into performing and choreographing shows again; I have decided that a fun way to highlight the shows I am in (besides Musical Monday honors) is to invite guest reviewers to see the show and review it. The first of this new series is for my current show, Paint Your Wagon. I invited Dominic Grijalva to come review the show. He has been involved with...
21 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday...eerrr...Thursday?
This week I have decided to highlight another theater that provides national tours to its residents. I have yet to have a regrettable time at this beautiful theater; and their current season followed by their following season are jam packed with titles that any theatre fan will want to see. So I am happy to highlight the 2013/2014 season of the Pantages Theater![[MORE]]
Shows/Dates: Andrew...
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Musical Monday
We have now arrived to the final Musical Monday of March! Spring is in full bloom now, and that just so happens to be the perfect seg-way into this week’s Musical Monday post. Enjoy your junk![[MORE]]
Musical Monday date: 11/25/2013
Musical: Spring Awakening
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Steven Sater, Duncan Sheik, and Steven Sater
Broadway Run: December 10, 2006 - January 18, 2009
Awards...
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Season Announcement Wednesday...eerrr...Thursday?
This week’s Season Announcement Wednesday is a company that I have yet to enjoy. I want to. I really, really want to. After seeing what they are offering for 2013/2014 I really can’t find a reason not to go up there and check them out. So without anymore delay or writing here is the 2013/2014 season of Hillbarn Theatre![[MORE]]
Shows/Dates: Monty Python’s Spamalot (August 30th...
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"Jekyll and Hyde" show #341
Last weekend the College of the Sequoias theater department opened up their newest production; Jekyll and Hyde. Speaking for myself, this was a highly anticipated title that I was anxious to see ever since they announced it. Of the several shows I have seen at COS; one thing has always rang true: their technical design is always top-notch fantastic. So knowing that I would more than likely enjoy...
9 tags
Musical Monday
I am quite excited for this week’s Musical Monday. Other than it just being another day to learn about a musical; it is the opening week for the next show I am performing in. Another exciting announcement will be coming later this week; but for now let’s get to know a little bit more about this Lerner and Loewe classic! Happy Musical Monday!!![[MORE]]
Musical Monday date:...
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"Grease" show #340
Among all the Valley shows opening this week there was the opening weekend of Grease at Children’s Musical Theaterworks. Just as a heads up, this is the BEST production of Grease I have ever seen (this being the 5th different production I have seen in my Road to 1,000). Josh Montgomery (Director/Choreographer) makes all the right choices and provides the audience with an inspired vision of...
8 tags
"Curtains" show #339
Upon my arrival home after catching Thursday evening’s opening night of Buchanan High School’s production of Curtains; I immediately went to my list of shows. I looked at the high school shows I have seen in the past. As I perused and recalled, I came to one conclusion; BHS’s production of Curtains is the best high school musical I have ever seen.[[MORE]]
Kander and Ebb (the...
7 tags
"Avenue Q" show #338
Last weekend was the opening run of Avenue Q; Runaway Productions’ second show of their 2013 season. When rifling through the program and seeing all the performers making their debut with the Sacramento based company, I was intrigued. In my theatrical experience thus far, I find it rare for a company to cast so many newcomers (to the company that is, not to theatre) for a big title show...
18 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday
Happy mid-week to all you theatre fans out there! This week’s company that I am highlighting for Season Announcement Wednesday probably has the most exciting so far. There are several titles that I have never seen, and it is times like these that I am bummed I do not live in the Bay Area because I would literally be buying season tickets. So here is the 2013/2014 season of 6th Street...
7 tags
"Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" show #337
I do believe that after seeing Sierra Repertory Theatre’s production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Buddy Holly himself would be applauding and clapping along like the sold-out Sunday matinee crowd was. I mean sometimes you just get it right all across the board. Scott Viets (Director/Choreographer) has outdone himself with this above standard production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story.
The...
5 tags
"Why Marry?" show #336
(Javier Padilla (Rex), Krystal Brock (Jean); Photo Credit: Darlene Wendels)
Last Saturday afternoon I took in Fresno City College’s production of Why Marry? What I have come to appreciate about the theatre department at Fresno City College is that they are not afraid to stage obscure titles or titles that are rarely done. Sometimes, it completely works in their favor and causes audiences...
8 tags
"Magical Mystery Detour" show #335
My finale show I took in for the 2013 Rogue Festival was Magical Mystery Detour at the Severance Building. This had been a show I was highly anticipating to see simply due to word of mouth and descriptive appeal. However, what I did not expect was to be completely WOWed by Gemma Wilcox’s performance. Not only was her script (Wilcox is credited as the Playwright, Performer and Producer)...
9 tags
Musical Monday
It’s a Broadway crime that I haven’t highlighted this musical yet. Mainly because just about a month and a half ago this musical celebrated 25 years on Broadway! So without much intro needed here is this week’s Musical Monday post![[MORE]]
Musical Monday date: 3/11/2013
Musical: The Phantom of the Opera
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Andrew...
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"Dancing With Demons" show #334
Last night I kicked off my second weekend of Rogue Festival happenings with an evening performance of Dancing With Demons at the Tower Lounge. Having now seen the majority of my Rogue shows (from both last year and this year) in the Tower Lounge I have realized something very key to the success/failure of performing in this space. You need, in the event of a one-man show (which this show is), a...
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"Cathedral City" show #333
The sixth and final Rogue show for me this past weekend was Kurt Fitzpatrick’s one man show, Cathedral City. Fitzpatrick performs a compilation of about a dozen or more characters during his performance; all to a great strength that succeeds well on the Tower Lounge stage. His accents, physicality and varying nuances were above standard for a great time and a great show.[[MORE]]
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"The Bike Trip" show #332
At the time of seeing this next Rogue show, The Bike Trip, I was ready for a story-telling one man show that would enthrall me. I mean, with a title like The Bike Trip, I could only imagine what could be said for an hour that would make this show entertaining. Then, I saw Mr. Martin Dockery. I listened to this man tell his story of recreating Alfred Hoffman’s first bike trip home when he...
7 tags
"A Girl Walks Into a Bar" show #331
My Saturday afternoon choice brought me to Starline to see A Girl Walks Into A Bar. This one-woman compilation for Katherine Glover (a Rogue regular) is one that I was anticipating due to her great dramatic turn last year in Dead Wrong. However, this year brought a sort Hodge-podge variety hour of scenes and stories that seemed to be randomly thrown together at the last minute (which she openly...
12 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday
This week’s Season Announcement Wednesday is highlighting a company that I have definitely become a huge fan of over the past couple of seasons. Not only do they perform in a beautiful theatre in a gorgeous downtown area; but their production values are top-notch. So, lucky for Bay Area patrons (and those of us who don’t mind making the 3 hour commute), here is the exciting 2013/2014...
11 tags
Musical Monday
This week’s Musical Monday will always have a special place in my heart. Not only is it one of my all-time favorite Disney movies; it was the show that kept me involved with theatre. Back in 2006, the national tour of this musical came to San Jose, CA where I saw it. I was debating going to an audition the next day because I felt like I was over theatre. At intermission, I knew theatre was...
8 tags
"Beached" show #330
Hot from the Broken Leg stage (Starline is also a venue for this same production; check your Rogue Map) is the newly opened surfing-based, one woman show, Beached-Part 1. As of now, Part 2 will be performed in Rogue 2014 (already exciting to look forward to.) Angela Neff is the writer/performer as she takes the audience on a journey starring Darcy, and the crazy characters that are part of her...
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"Apocalypse Clown" show #329
My second Rogue show for the evening was the 10pm opening performance of Apocalypse Clown at the Starline Performance venue. Yes, that is the title and yes it is funny. In the official Rogue Festival map/program this show is billed as, “Three darkly comedic vignettes about life, love and the end of the world!” After seeing this show, I can safely say it confidently meets the billing...
7 tags
"Psyche Savage and All My Ghosts" show #328
To kick off the 2013 Rogue Festival I took in the opening performance of Kate McKnight’s one woman show, Psyche Savage and All My Ghosts. McKnight wrote this one-woman show based on life events that have shaped who she is to this day. Though it was a bit rough in terms of performance, the piece is definitely worth your time.[[MORE]]
McKnight has divided her work into a three scene act,...
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"Wait Until Dark" show #327
Last night was the opening night of Good Company Players’ newest production, Wait Until Dark. Staged in the intimate 2nd Space Theater located in downtown Fresno, CA; this is one of the most perfect settings for the suspenseful drama that is sure to terrify everyone at some given point. Director Denise Graziani, and lighting director Jennifer Sullivan have crafted a sure-fire thriller that...
February 2013
11 posts
9 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday
Summer stock theatre companies are always a fun treat. They pack in great titles while everyone is enjoying beautiful weather, time off from school, and make for a great alternative to laying at home in front of a TV. Such is the case with this week’s Season Announcement Wednesday highlight. I am particularly fond of companies that are doing shows that I have NEVER seen, so I will...
6 tags
"Zombie Prom" show #326
This past Sunday brought me to Roosevelt School of the Arts in Fresno, CA. I was going to prom! But not just any prom. A nuclear prom filled with molecules, a-bomb drills, and teenagers back from the dead. I’m talking about RSA’s new production of Zombie Prom which is playing through March 10th. What I enjoy most about Zombie Prom as a musical itself is that it is not your typical...
10 tags
Musical Monday
This week’s Musical Monday is an eerie favorite of mine. The music is pretty, the story is dramatic, and if you get bored, you can just count how many times the word Murder is sung/spoken in this musical. Either way, it’s coming to Broadway and it’s sure to entertain somebody. Welcome to this week’s Musical Monday![[MORE]]
Musical Monday date: 2/25/2013
Musical: Jekyll...
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"Dinner With Dan" show #325
This past Thursday evening I attended the second weekend of Dinner With Dan, a rewrite of what was an original musical written by R.S. Scott. Jump Right In Productions has brought this new work to the Broken Leg Stage in downtown Fresno, CA. Having not seen the original work, I was going in without any pre-conceptions or thoughts. Now, having seen it, I can not speak for the original piece; but...
16 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday...errr Friday?
Having stayed in the Central Valley, there a few companies that I will no longer be close to (geographically speaking) that I will miss. THis week’s company is one of those houses. This company has set a standard for all professional theaters I see shows at; and has yet to disappoint. Although I am a good 2 1/2 hour drive away from them, any chance I get I will certainly drive up to see a show....
10 tags
Musical Monday
So I just couldn’t pass up doing this particular show this week for Musical Monday. Last week’s photo op with Steve Kazee made me go back and sift through my NY pictures and I saw this one. Talk about an all-time happy moment to meet legendary performer; Joel Grey. Therefore, I decided to head aboard the S.S. American (since it was there that I met him) for this week’s...
11 tags
Season Announcement Wednesday
My apologies for no Season Announcement posting lasting week. Especially since there are so many new season being announced as the weeks go by! This week’s post is really exciting. Not only are they doing two shows that I am very anxious to see, but one of their productions I will have the pleasure of performing in as well. So, it is my Shakespearean pleasure to highlight the 2013 season...
10 tags
Musical Monday
In a breach of tradition, I am using this week’s Musical Monday photo of me and an actor in the show. This show absolutely changed my way of seeing and accepting a musical into my life. The music alone is gorgeous, and the man in this photo with me won the Tony for Best Actor, so I feel like it is okay to include him in this week’s post. Enjoy![[MORE]]
Musical Monday date:...
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"Promises, Promises" show #324
Music by Burt Bacharach. Book by Neil Simon. Direction by Walter Mayes. Production by South Bay Musical Theatre. These are four excellent combinations (along with a cast that I will happily vaunt about in the coming paragraphs.) This being the first time I have ever seen Promises, Promises on stage, I was very enthusiastic with how the show would turn out. I knew the basic plot points and have...
7 tags
"Rock of Ages" show #323
Yes, yes, yes. I have seen yet another production of Rock of Ages. I was somehow able to manage seeing it on Broadway on one Saturday, and then exactly 7 days later I took in the current national tour up in Sacramento. It has since left the California coast; however, it did not demean my possibly unhealthy obsession with this rock musical. Some of the current cast members are the same ones I saw...
