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The SHN 2012-2013 Broadway Season Announced

20 Mar

The SHN 2012-2013 Season

Joining Previously Announced
THE BOOK OF MORMON:

DINER
THE LION KING
ANYTHING GOES
WICKED

SAN FRANCISCO (March 20, 2012) … SHN is pleased to announce the complete five-show 2012-2013 Season under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays. Productions joining the previously announced engagement of 2011 Tony Award-Winning Best Musical – THE BOOK OF MORMON are: the pre-Broadway world premiere of DINER, Disney’s THE LION KING, the Tony Award-winning revival of ANYTHING GOES and Bay Area favorite WICKED.

Pre-Broadway
World Premiere Musical
DINER
SHN Curran Theatre
October 23 – November 18, 2012
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Based on the critically acclaimed 1982 film, this world premiere musical features a book by Academy Award-winner and original DINER screenwriter Barry Levinson and music & lyrics by 9-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow.  DINER will be directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall and is produced by BASE Entertainment (Co-CEO’s Scott Zeiger and Brian Becker).

DINER will play a four week limited engagement at the SHN Curran Theatre beginning Tuesday, October 23. Following the four week San Francisco engagement, DINER will go directly to Broadway for an opening in the spring of 2013.  Design team and casting will be announced at a later date.

DINER is set in Baltimore, 1959, when six high school friends reunite at the one place they know they’ll always belong: the Diner. Now in their twenties, the friends have stumbled into adulthood and struggle to keep from growing apart. Life, love, responsibility – it’s all on the table. DINER celebrates good times, great music and best friends.

“This is a fabulous collaboration…working with Sheryl and Kathleen,” said Barry Levinson. “It’s time to enter the next stage of the DINER journey…30 years later.”

“Our team is now ready to meet our next collaborator,” said Sheryl Crow, “the theatergoers at the Curran Theatre.”

“It is an honor and a privilege, not to mention a ton of fun, to work with artists as amazing as Barry Levinson and Sheryl Crow,” said Kathleen Marshall, “I am so thrilled to be part of bringing the musical DINER to the stage, and we can’t wait to go to San Francisco!”

“Watching this team has been extraordinary,” said Scott Zeiger, “They continuously push and challenge each other to new artistic heights. We knew that we needed to premier this new musical in a city with a savvy theater-going audience, so we are thrilled to launch DINER with SHN in San Francisco.”

Kathleen Marshall is currently represented on Broadway by the smash hit ANYTHING GOES and the upcoming premiere of the new Gershwin musical NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT.  DINER marks the Broadway debut of both Barry Levinson and Sheryl Crow.  Sheryl Crow has sold more than 35 million records worldwide including the singles “Soak Up the Sun,” “First Cut is the Deepest,” “If It Makes You Happy,” “Every Day Is A Winding Road,” “All I Wanna Do,” “Strong Enough,” “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Steve McQueen”.  Barry Levinson’s illustrious career includes the films Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam, Bugsy, Tin Men, The Natural, Young Sherlock Holmes, Toys, Disclosure, Sleepers, Wag the Dog and Avalon.

DINER was Barry Levinson‘s screen directing debut, and he received an Academy Award nomination for his original screenplay. The bittersweet comedy starred Kevin Bacon, Ellen Barkin, Tim Daly, Steve Guttenberg, Paul Reiser, Mickey Rourke and Daniel Stern.

For more information visit: www.shnsf.com/shows/diner

 

Return of Disney’s
THE LION KING
SHN Orpheum Theatre
November 1, 2012 – January 13, 2013
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By popular demand, Disney’s THE LION KING returns to San Francisco for the first time since its triumphant 43 week run at the SHN Orpheum Theatre in 2004. THE LION KING will play an 11 week engagement at the SHN Orpheum Theatre beginning November 1.

The North American production of THE LION KING has been seen by over 13.5 million theatergoers in more than 60 cities across North America and grossed over $875 million to date. Translated into seven different languages (Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Mandarin, and Spanish), the show has been performed in 14 different countries on five continents. 

THE LION KING won six 1998 Tony Awards:  Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical, making Taymor the first woman in theatrical history bestowed with the honor. Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, has created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. 

The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed The Lion King animated feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay.  Other members of the creative team include:  Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), John Stefaniuk (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor).  Anne Quart serves as associate producer.

The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s music from The Lion King animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from “Rhythm of the Pride Lands,” an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. 

For more information please visit:
www.shnsf.com/shows/lionking

 

THE BOOK OF MORMON
SHN Curran Theatre
November 27 – December 30, 2012
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THE BOOK OF MORMON is the winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. THE BOOK OF MORMON will play a strictly limited five week engagement at the SHN Curran Theatre beginning November 27.

THE BOOK OF MORMON features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of the landmark animated series, “South Park.” Tony Award-winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy, Avenue Q.  The musical is choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.

The New York Times says, “It’s the best musical of this century.” Vogue says, “It’s the funniest musical of all time.” And The Daily Show‘s Jon Stewart calls it “A crowning achievement. So good, it makes me angry.”

For more information please visit: www.shnsf.com/shows/bookofmormon

@bookofmormonbwy

 2011 Tony Award – Best Musical Revival

ANYTHING GOES
SHN Curran Theatre
January 8 – February 3, 2013
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The Roundabout Theatre Company’s ANYTHING GOES, the new Broadway revival of Cole Porter’s timeless classic musical theatre masterpiece won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.  Director Kathleen Marshall also won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Choreography for her work on the show. ANYTHING GOES will play a limited four week engagement at the SHN Curran Theatre beginning January 8, 2013.

The rewrite of the 1934 musical comedy about the lovers, liars and clowns on a transatlantic cruise is “a daffy, shipshape romp!” – Variety. When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love… proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, an exotic disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail. Cole Porter’s roundup of nostalgic hits in the production include “You’re the Top,” “Friendship,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” and, of course “Anything Goes.”

ANYTHING GOES is directed by Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall, features music and lyrics by Cole Porter; original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse; and new book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman. The creative team includes Bill Elliott (additional orchestrations), Rob Fisher (musical director) and David Chase (dance arranger). The design team includes Derek McLane (sets), Martin Pakledinaz (costumes), Peter Kaczorowski (lights) and Brian Ronan (sound).

For more information please visit: www.shnsf.com/shows/anythinggoes

Return of the Bay Area’s Most ‘Popular’ Musical
WICKED
SHN Orpheum Theatre
January 23 – February 17, 2013
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WICKED returns home to the Bay Area to bewitch audiences once again. WICKED will play a limited four week engagement at the SHN Orpheum Theatre beginning on January 23, 2013.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman.  It is directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. WICKED features set design by Eugene Lee, costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Tony Meola.  The orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott. WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood.  The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

For more information please visit: www.shnsf.com/shows/wicked
@wicked_musical
#WickedSF

Ticket/Subscription Information:
The SHN 2012-2013 Season packages for new subscribers are currently available online at shnsf.com or by calling SHN Audience Services at 888-746-1799. Season package prices range from $197.50 – $567.50. Renewing subscribers will receive their renewal information in April. Single tickets will go on sale at a later date.

Connect with SHN…www.shnsf.com

www.facebook.com/shnbroadwayinsf

www.twitter.com/shnsf

www.youtube.com/user/SHNSanFrancisco

 
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Posted by on 03/20/2012 in Broadway

 

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Ticket Giveaway: “Totem – Cirque du Soleil” @ San Jose, 03/02/12

27 Feb

TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.

Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

Cirque du Soleil returns to Bay Area with TOTEM, its latest big top production written and directed by Robert Lepage. Proudly presented by iShares, TOTEM is opening in San Jose on Friday, March 02, 2012 under the blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau at Taylor Street Bridge (corner of Taylor Street and Highway 87).

Tickets are now available online at cirquedusoleil.com/totem or by phone 1-800-450-1480.

How to enter to win two tickets to see TOTEM at Cirque du Soleil’s Grand Chapiteau in San Jose on Friday, March 2nd, 2012 at 8:00pm (site opens at 7:00pm):

  • Step 1: Make sure you put your email into the “Email Subscription”. (If you already subscribed, then follow step 2.)
  • Step 2: Comment, tweet or Facebook us and tell us how many times you have seen a Cirque du Soleil show and which Cirque show is your favorite.

A winner will be chosen on Thursday March 1st, 2012. They will be notified by way of entry (through email, Twitter or Facebook). Winners will pick up their tickets under their name at Will Call. 

Picture Credit: Daniel Desmarais & Costume Credit: Kym Barrett

 
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Posted by on 02/27/2012 in Bay Area Theatre, Ticket Giveaway

 

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“The Book of Mormon” musical is headed to San Francisco

15 Feb

It’s true! The Book of Mormon musical is coming to San Francisco starting November 2012. It is only playing for a limited five weeks and I’m sure will sell out in minutes (just like what happened in Denver)!!

The Book of Mormon is the first show to be announced as part of the SHNSF 2012-2013 season. The remaining four shows on the season will be announced at a later date.

The Book of Mormon won nine Tony Awards including Best Musical and the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. Currently, the only way to guarantee tickets for this strictly limited engagement is by becoming an SHN subscriber today by calling (888) 746-1799 or visiting www.shnsf.com. Group and single tickets sale date will be announced later.

Listen to a few of the tracks from the Grammy winning album here: (parental advisory warning)

“Hello!”

“I Believe”

“Tomorrow is a Latter Day”

 
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Posted by on 02/15/2012 in Bay Area Theatre, Broadway, News

 

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Theatre Review: “Bring it On” @ Orpheum Theatre, SF, 12/14/11

15 Dec

With a combined creative team that brought us some of the best musical theatre in the last decade – Next to Normal, In the Heights,  and Avenue Q - you might think Bring it On would end up being another amazing musical theatre masterpiece, but unfortunately this hot mess is nothing but an uninspired mess. It’s like Glee after the second episode. The story meanders but doesn’t give an real insight into any of the characters (I don’t even remember any of their names), the unmelodic music is a mash-up of In the Heights throwaways and through-composed whiny Next to Normal bits and the choreography looks like In the Heights, and yet tries to be something you would see on “America’s Best Dance Crew” but doesn’t even land close to either.

Nothing works, except for the real cheerleaders that are in the production. They fly to new heights, quite literally and amazingly. And because of this, Bring it On ended with huge cheers from cheerleaders (young and old) in the audience when they leapt to their feet and gave it a standing ovation.

Finally, someone put their life on the stage.

I sat there annoyed and felt cheated that some of my musical theatre idols delivered a sugar-coated passionless production of a movie musical that isn’t really based on the movie (except the subject manner). It is, after-all, only “inspired” by the original movie, written by Jessica Bendinger. Can we say, false advertising?

Maybe my expectations were high, but come on, Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) wrote the music and Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) wrote the book and they have all won Tony Awards for their previous works on Broadway. This should have been the musical theatre “dream team”. Yet, the style was disjunct and the music is split between Miranda’s signature rapping (which didn’t work into this production at all, especially when the white girls are rapping at the beginning of Act 1) and Kitt’s (usually) brilliantly through-composed compositions. I left not being able to remember a single melody. The only few good songs in the show were the ones that were pre-recorded: “Legendary”, “Don’t Drop” and “Cross the Line”. And those are not even close to anything I would listen to on my iPod.

Opening Night at "Bring it On" - photo by SHNSF

Then, there’s the other pre-recorded tracks. To be honest, the whole show was mostly tracked. They left a few songs, mostly in the second act, that aren’t pre-recorded, I guess, to give the musicians in the pit something to do. There’s even pre-recorded singers on these tracks. Are we serious? With a cast of 30, you’d think you wouldn’t need to pre-record singers, but you do when it sounds like there are only 10 people singing on stage during the big group numbers.

The vocal stylizations by Taylor Louderman (Campbell), a character fashioned after Elle Woods but without any of the charisma or charm, was so bright that is was borderline screaming at points. She could obviously belt notes that most girls only dream of, but song after song sung in these high belts were absolutely obnoxious. I don’t fault her because she had nothing to work with. Even her character’s arc was uninteresting. She does her damnest to carry the show, but it’s hard when the material you are given is spiritless.

One of Campbell’s best bits in the show, is when she shows up to the dance crew in her new high school’s mascot: the leprechaun. She dances the hell out of it and gets the girls on the dance crew to be her friend because she dances so well. But the best part is that Louderman isn’t the one wearing the leprechaun costume, it’s another cast member (supposedly unbeknownst to the audience), so she doesn’t even know the dance. Totally unfortunate.

The best part of the show was the “chubby” sidekick, Ryann Redmond (Bridget). She’s the only one that kept landing her lines and bits consistently throughout the night. While, there were a few good oneliners in the show (“I got google. Bitch.” and “No cheerleading squad? What’s the point of school?”), Redmond was the only character that felt fresh and new. The rest of the characters were a colliding mess of Legally Blonde, In the Heights and Next to Normal. (Three really awkward shows to put together.) And, of course, none of it fit.

"Bring it On" cast during opening night bows - photo by SHNSF

The set design (David Korins) and lighting design (Jason Lyons) were pretty spectacular. The set used four different LCD screens that moved around the stage extremely well and created some very cool stage pictures. It was unlike anything I have seen. And the lighting was perfectly amped up for all of the big production numbers. Overall, both elements were extremely impressive.

The producers were right not to transfer this to Broadway. Besides, the huge overhead that it would cost to run nightly on Broadway and the fact that the musician’s union would probably boycott the show since everything is pre-recorded, the critics would rip it to shreds in New York City. Instead, Bring it On will bring cheer and happiness to cheerleaders all around the country. People will go, enjoy themselves, laugh at the silly jokes, and walk away entertained. But, Bring it On will never land in the same category as Wicked which is the very demographic they are trying to sell this show to.

And the show will not even be readily produced on the regional/community/high school musical theatre circuit because of the cast demands, technical difficulty and pre-recorded tracks. There’s not even life after this national tour for this show.

The creative team had the opportunity to mold pop music, cheerleading and musical theatre together all into one amazing package, but instead it was just a big tug-of-war and no one won. Instead, it just ended up being a unenthusiastic mess that the creator’s worked on to pass the time, waiting until their next stroke of genius will come. And God, I hope it’s soon, for everyone’s sake.

 
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Posted by on 12/15/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Broadway, Theatre Review

 

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Theatre Review: “Billy Elliot” @ Orpheum Theatre 8/6/11

11 Aug

Written by: Dan Mason

I have a confession to make. Although I’ve taken a half-dozen theatre trips to New York since Billy Elliot opened in 2009, I have never actually seen the show until last weekend. Despite being a ten time Tony winner, including best musical, I was never ever to bring myself to purchase tickets, a resistance that I partially chalk up to the fact I was not a fan the movie from 2000. The 2009 Tony performance of out-of-context dance numbers didn’t make me any more interested, nor did the fact that the soundtrack, at least to my ears, seemed rather pedestrian.

Perhaps these are reasons that the tour has been a tough sell on the road, causing the current production at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre to shutter a month earlier than expected. Chatter among people “in the know” suggest that the costly production (The Broadway version was capitalized around $16 million), is set to be gutted, with everything scaled down, including the pay of the huge cast.

However, don’t let the box office struggle fool you. Billy Elliot is a show that deserves to be seen, led by an extraordinary cast that simultaneously tells the story of escape through self-expression while showing the bleak prospects of a community under economic duress during Great Britain’s mining strike in the 1980′s. In fact, some might suggest that at its core, this is a show that is still relevant to a generation facing ever-growing uncertainty about its financial future.

In a cast full of standouts, no star shines brighter than Tony winner Faith Prince (Guys & Dolls, A Catered Affair) as dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson. As the tough talking head of a second-rate dance studio, she exudes just the right amount of warmth and charm, and makes the production that much better just by her mere presence. Rich Hebert gives a moving performance as the conflicted father (a role that garnered a best actor Tony for Gregory Jbarra). As the brother, Jeff Kready’s intensity is almost too much, making it hard to believe his soft-hearted turn later in the second act, but he holds his own with this cast. At this performance, Jacob Zelonky played the role of cross dressing, best friend, Michael. His first act number, “Expressing Yourself”, is a comic highlight, and one of the only numbers that make you feel like you are listening to a score by Elton John. At Saturday’s show, Billy was played capably by Ethan Fuller, whose dancing skills are every bit as spectacular as are required for the role, even if his singing was less expressive.

The show is beautifully directed by Stephen Daldry, who juxtaposes the “art” and the “reality” of these characters in stunning ways, most notably during “Solidarity”, where Mrs. Wilkinson teaches Billy the basics of dance while the country is engulfed in near riots. I was also impressed with the use of movable fences on the stage that  show the journey of the miners who chose to break the strike in real-time. Rick Fisher’s lighting designs works heavily in silhouette, and are spectacular to watch during some of Billy’s solo dances.

The only problems I had with Billy Elliot were in the script itself. At an inflated running time of three hours, there is a lot of exposition to digest, and many of the audience members at intermission were still trying wrap their heads around the back story. In fact, located throughout the lobby are huge posters that give a narrative background on England socioeconomic situation in 1984, a clear sign that producers are aware of just how much info the audience is asked to digest.

Sadly, the historical exposition leaves less time to develop the relationships within the family. The book gives us more insight into the back story of the grandmother (through the rather unnecessary act one song “We’d Go Dancing”) than it does of fleshing out the relationships between Billy, his father, and brother.  The Elton John score is less pop infused than his other Broadway work, drawing more from British folk music. You won’t leave the theater humming any of the songs from the show,

Yet, despite some of the shows deficiencies, the show doesn’t suffer. The cast is so strong that they color in the places where the script fails them and create subtext where it might not really exist. The passion of the performers alone is reason enough to see Billy Elliot before it closes on August 21.

Grade: A-

 
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Posted by on 08/11/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Broadway, Theatre Review

 

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Ticket Giveaway: “Totem – Cirque du Soleil” @ San Francisco, 10/28/11

08 Aug

TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.

Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

Cirque du Soleil returns to Bay Area with TOTEM, its latest big top production written and directed by Robert Lepage. Proudly presented by iShares, TOTEM premieres in San Francisco on Friday, October 28, 2011 for a limited engagement under the blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) located at AT&T Park.

Tickets are now available online at cirquedusoleil.com/totem or by phone 1-800-450-1480.

How to enter to win two tickets to see TOTEM at Cirque du Soleil’s Grand Chapiteau on Friday, October 28th, 2011 at 8:00pm (site opens at 7:00pm):

  • Comment, tweet or Facebook us and tell us how many times you have seen a Cirque du Soleil show and which Cirque show is your favorite.

A winner will be chosen on September 1st, 2011. They will be notified by way of entry (through email, Twitter or Facebook). Winners will need to send an address as tickets will be sent through the US Mail.

Picture Credit: Daniel Desmarais & Costume Credit: Kym Barrett

 
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Posted by on 08/08/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Ticket Giveaway

 

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Theatre Review: “Tales of the City” @ American Conservatory Theatre, 07/26

28 Jul

Tales of the City, a new musical written by Armistead Maupin, with music by Jakes Shears and John Garden (of the band, Scissor Sisters) and libretto by Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) opened at American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in San Francisco on May 31st, 2011. After an incredibly successful 11-week run, I was able to finally see the production during the last week of its double-extended run. With no background knowledge of the source material, I was consistently lost throughout most of the production. The lack of focus on the characters and their stories created a muddled mess of material that was hard to sift through. Compound that with lost lyrics in the music (the diction was pretty bad throughout), I found myself having little connection to any of the characters or their stories. Now mind you, I’ve never read the books or seen the TV series, so this was my absolute first real introduction to this iconic San Francisco story.

The musical takes place in 1976 and follows the life of several different people interconnected through work, home, love, family, and friends. First, there is Mary Ann Singleton (Betsy Wolfe) who just moved from Cleveland to San Francisco to start her newly independent life free of oppressing parents. She’s young, naive and continues to find herself in sticky situations (which none are really fleshed out in the musical). Wolfe is a stand-out vocalist and her second act power belt, “Paper Faces” blows the roof off the theatre. It was one of the most impassioned performances I’ve ever seen in a musical before. It’s powerful and absolutely beautiful. I just wish I understood her emotional arc better, so that I understood her journey and the song better. The events that surround her second relationship with her upstairs neighbor, Norman Neal Williams (Manoel Fleciano), were confusing and rushed. One second they were singing a love song and then the next he was falling off a cliff after she confronts him about taking inappropriate pictures of minors. (What?) Then, the fact Williams died was almost 100% ignored in the last scene — almost no closure to her character or the surrounding events.

When the focus wasn’t on Mary Ann it landed on the effervescent Anna Madrigal (Judy Kaye). Mrs. Madrigal needed to be the real focal point of the entire show, even though she technically was, I still wanted to know more about her life, family, friends and work. We meet Mrs. Madrigal, the eccentric marijuana-growing landlord with always an extra joint, after Mary Ann is looking for a place to rent. We are then introduced to the rest of the cast, the heterosexual douche bag, Brian Hawkins (Patrick Lane), the hippyish free-loving Mona Ramsey (Mary Birdsong) whom Mary Ann also works with and Michael “Mouse” Tolliver (Wesley Taylor), a homosexual who hasn’t come out of the closet to his parents. The rest of the main characters are connected to Mary Ann through work — her boss, Edgar Halcyon (Richard Poe), the boss’ sexist son-in-law, Beauchamp Day (Andrew Aamonsky) who continually hits on Mary Ann and Day’s society wife, DeDe Halcyon-Day (Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone) who finds out she’s pregnant with twins.

These characters experience love, adultery, pregnancy, sexual identity/coming-of-age moments, sexual exploration, long-lost parents found, employment issues, sexual harassment, drugs, moving, running away, parental struggles, and in the midst of all that, finding oneself. As you can tell, you could probably write several musicals out of the material suggested above.

The love story between Mrs. Madrigal and Mr. Halcyon was the most fascinating but still needed more development. Mrs. Madrigal’s wisdom and sheer triumph over some of her biggest demons was enthralling, yet I still wanted more of it. The other story that I felt was the most interesting was Mouse’s brave attempt to educate his parents who had recently subscribed to Anita Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign. His beautiful letter to his mother was a remarkably poignant moment in the musical — very touching.

The other featured character, that I haven’t mentioned yet, was the city of San Francisco. The musical started (to rapturous applause) with a disco ball to set the scene. Throughout the musical, San Francisco-centric jokes, names, places and events were featured and became an integral part of the production. Even though I’ve lived in the Bay Area most of my life, a lot of the jokes and references went over my head, though they seemed to land with the rest of the audience with ease. I worry though, that this wouldn’t fly as well in New York City on Broadway. The chorus morphed from hippies to dancers at a gay club and even dudes at a bathhouse. They became the ever-changing San Francisco landscape and created the unique vibe that the city is known for. While interesting and fun, a lot of it was frivolous and didn’t push the story along.

The 1970s inspired pop music by Shears and Garden was actually pretty good, though there was too much of it. Several of the songs could easily be cut to create cleaner story lines and a shorter running time (it’s at 2 hours and 45 minutes right now). Since there is no song list in the program, several of them are already forgotten. I have a feeling that I might actually really enjoy a cast recording of Tales of the City, but at first listen, it was all a bit overwhelming trying to decipher stories, lyrics and characters.

Tales of the City definitely has Broadway potential, but at its present state, I don’t think it’s going to find the same connection and positive response as it has in San Francisco. The material needs to connect to a broader audience by creating more focus and developing the main character’s relationship(s) and their emotional arcs. This will also help connect those who aren’t already familiar with the source material. Otherwise, it is just a story for insiders — for those who lived it, who experienced San Francisco in the late-70s.

 
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Posted by on 07/28/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Broadway, Theatre Review

 

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Twitter Response to “Billy Eilliot” in San Francisco

08 Jul

Last Tuesday, Billy Elliot opened in San Francisco at the Orpheum Theatre. Unfortunately, I missed it because I was flying back from New York City where I saw five shows: Sister Act, The Addams Family, Baby It’s You, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and How to Succeed…. I hope to see Billy Elliot in the upcoming weeks, but I might not get there until the beginning of August considering I still have to see Tales of the City in San Francisco and I’m looking forward to seeing a brand new show, Fly By Night, at Theatreworks. Plus, I haven’t reviewed Billy Elliot on The Broadway Critic Blog, so it’s definitely going to happen.

Billy Elliot has a huge following! It won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2009 and the dancing kids in this show are to-die-for. But, I hate to say this, I wasn’t a huge fan of the show at all when I saw it on Broadway (with the original cast). I felt it lost the “heart” of the movie. I know, I know… I’m in the minority here, but I’m hoping that Faith Prince and the (hopefully) updated set will change my mind.

It seems though, that everyone is loving it. Have you seen it? Anyone seen the Broadway version and can discuss the changes they made for the tour?

TWITTER RESPONSES:

@seanieboysfnyc: My dad saw Billy Elliot last nite in #SF and loved it so much he sent me this email: “You’re not a Puff are you?” hahaha #MyDadIsTheBest

@deliarium: Saw Billy Elliot (the musical) in SF last night. It makes me wish I could dance, or be talented in any performing arts capacity whatsoever.

@dauphinlovr: Hey @shnsf, I’m heading up to SF to see “Billy Elliot‘ with @RCorteway. I’ve heard nothing but great reviews. Can’t wait to see it.

@NinaVeaco: Go see Billy Elliot…go…now

@erotes: Intermission at Billy Elliot and loving it!!!

@hurleysashimi: Got rush tickets to see Billy Elliot at the Orpheum. Billy‘s being played by a little Filipino boy!

@Chris09cook: Going to watch Billy Elliot tonight at the theatre due to the gf.. But secretly I’m actually quite excited :s

@JimOtermat: Attention makers of the SF Billy Elliot bus posters: When is Septemeber?

@THEjoeWeinberg: That kid who plays Billy Elliot is 15? wow. way to make me feel unaccomplished….

@JayLeila: as excited as I am to see Billy Elliot tonight, I really wish I was home watching more True Blood

@tmth: Back from seeing Billy Elliot at Orpheum Theatre. Thought it was moving, but the attempt at a northerner dialect was cringe worthy!

 
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Posted by on 07/08/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Broadway, News, Preview

 

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Twitter Response to First Preview of “Tales of the City” in San Francisco

19 May

Last night was the first preview of Tales of the City, a new musical in San Francisco, debuting at ACT. Since I wasn’t able to be there (I’m rehearsing for Avenue Q at San Jose Stage Company), I turned to Twitter to see what the initial response was.

It seems that everyone loved it, but the show was really long. Technically, the musical is based off of eight novels that Armistead Maupin wrote, so understandably, it would run long, but 3 1/2 hours seems way too long for a musical (or even a movie).

All this good buzz begs the questions: Will Tales of the City work in any other city than San Francisco? Is there a Broadway transfer in its future?

Discuss.

TWITTER RESPONSES:

@mrichert: Tales of the City was pretty good, some great songs, & the whole cast was amazing, it was just missing something, Mother Mucca KILLED IT!!!!

@rolodj: Tales of the City rocked! Given it was first night & could cut things that didn’t work, I was entertained entire 3 1/2 hrs! #manitabryant

@erico: Laughed, cried & laughed with my honey at the 1st preview of Tales of the City, a New Musical by @ArmisteadMaupin. @JakeShears u rule!

@monatopia: Totally suggest everybody go see ACTs Tales Of The City. It rocks! And makes me wanna move to san Francisco circa 1976.

@mrichert: Just passed who I think was @jakeshears after Tales of the City, he’s pretty hot, the show was pretty great too

@FirehorseSF: @Jakeshears jake, awesome music, tales of the city rocked! and you looked great in yellow. Marlborough lights?

@Prezdt: Fantastic 3 1/2 hours of Tales of the City. Great story. Great acting. Great music!

@greggysf: At premier of Tales of the City!! Love this city!!!

@grizzwhit: @ACTSanFrancisco tales of the city is rocking it! betsy wolfe is amazing as lead. must see sf!

@deathandfood: At the preview of The Tales of the City musical. Love seeing it with people that lived it and in SF.

@Prezdt: Wonderful performance of the first act of Tales of the City!

@mrichert: At the intermission of Tales of the City, really good so far, the set is awesome, great songs too

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When are you seeing it? And if you’ve seen it, what did you think?
 
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Posted by on 05/19/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Broadway, News, Preview

 

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Theatre Review: “Rock of Ages” @ Curran Theatre (SF Tour), 03/09/11

15 Mar

Get ready to rock San Francisco! The Rock of Ages Broadway tour is in town.

I always forget how much fun you can have at a Broadway show, until a show like Rock of Ages rolls along. It gets you singing, clapping, screaming, and rocking out all under the guise of musical theatre. The presentational quality to the script by Chris D’Arienzo and familiar songs/lyrics continue to help hide the fact you are in a theatre and not a concert venue. You end up with an unexpectedly awesome night on the town.

And did we mention that this musical is perfect for guys who don’t usually end up at the theatre? Your machismo is completely safe-proof with this blatantly over-sexed rock musical. Think about Los Angeles in the 1980′s – it’s gritty, grimy and sex-crazed. Big hair, epically bad clothes and rock ‘n roll ruled the world. The chorus girls epitomize this fashion statement flawlessly with their hooker-style costumes, designed by Gregory Gale. Rock of Ages uses music from bands like: Journey, Styx, Pat Benatar, Poison, Foreigner and others to push the cute romantic love story between Drew (Constantine Maroulis) and Sherrie (Elicia MacKenzie) a long.

Trust me, it all works.

This production is top-notch quality. Constantine Maroulis, from American Idol fame, is almost too perfect for this role. His charming swagger, combined with his talented vocals, creates the perfect charisma. His stage presence and ability to rock out is undeniably impressive. Then, you have the beautiful Elicia MacKenzie playing opposite of Constantine. When they sing together they literally are a force to behold. They sounded so fierce together.

The stage band, directed by Brandon Ethridge, was also extremely fun to watch. They opened the show with a legendary rock guitar chord and continued to rock out for the rest of the show.

San Francisco had a special treat on opening night when Constantine, at the end of the show, introduced Journey, Night Ranger, and Mr. Big to join the cast of Rock of Ages on stage. Watch below:

Even Knight Ranger loved Rock of Ages. They said, “We love the way Rock of Ages KICKED ASS at the Curran Theatre. That’s the way to do it in our HOMETOWN!”

Watching the video, you can feel the excitement that was in the theatre! The energy was infectious and that’s how it was the entire night. It’s almost impossible that Rock of Ages won’t put you into a good mood.

 
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Posted by on 03/15/2011 in Bay Area Theatre, Theatre Review

 

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