The Undressed Project

Is Davis ready for nudity?

We’ll all find out on May 6, when MFA choreographer Eric Kupers brings his “Night Marsh” to the Mondavi Center Studio Theatre, in conjunction with “Tiny Sky,” by Jane Schnorrenberg, as the UC Davis Theatre and Drama Department presents, “Flood.”

“Tiny Sky,” a series of short dances based on the stories of Barry Yourgrau is described by choreographer Schnorrenberg as “much shorter little pieces, little bites. Little nuggets of things. They are all separate little vignettes. It’s like a dream kind of thing.” “Tiny Sky” (in which the dancers will be clothed) is a much lighter work and opens the evening’s entertainment. “I’m the appetizer,” laughs Scnhorrenberg.

“Night Marsh” is the finished piece which began as “The Undressed Project” three years ago at the Jon Sims Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Kupers began to envision this piece shortly after the tragic events of 9/11.

“I felt like with all the fear around 9/11, everything was contracting. People were saying ‘be careful--you’ll be labeled a terrorist.’ I felt we need to take the opportunity to expand and really be ourselves.”

The idea of an entire dance performed in the nude actually arose, Kupers jokes, out of his difficulty with costuming.

“I was thinking about my next piece and thinking ‘what do I do for costumes?’ I couldn’t think of anything. ‘Why don’t we just go naked?’ So it was really more whimsical. Then as I started to talk to people they would say ‘I’m not going to get naked--I’m too fat, I’m too hairy, I’m too thin, I’m too old, I’m too wrinkly, I’m too pimply, I’m too whatever...’ So many people who had these bodies that I envied were afraid to be naked, so I knew I had to address that with the piece.”

In fact, the work begins with a prologue, narrated by April Tayor and danced by Kupers, which explores the stereotypical view of a dancer’s body and questions whether someone who does not fit into the mold and whose body has its own unique flaws, can actually be considered “a dancer.”

“We use words in such strange ways, like the word "beautiful" for example,” Kupers muses. “One person said, 'That's really great that you're dancing naked. But you know, people really do want to see beautiful bodies.' Others have said, 'Some of the bodies weren't perfect, and then there were some beautiful bodies.' There are things that are so unconscious in the way we talk about it all.” Kupers work tries to show that all bodies are “beautiful,” whether they fit into a stereotype or not.

“We’re beautiful and we’re ugly at the same time. Bodies are these gorgeous things but they’re also weird. “

Lucia August, one of Kupers’ older dancers, is a psychotherapist in her professional life, who deals with body image issues in her practice. “I’ve been dancing since I was 4 years old,” she said, “and I was always told that I could never go beyond a certain level because of my body size. But here I am!” Though one would never pick August out of a crowd as a dancer, she is beautiful to watch on stage. She had difficulty at first with the concept of dancing in the nude, but she finds the experience to be liberating and energizing.

Kupers looks on his work as a piece of activism, and of bringing people together for a common goal.

“My parents were radical leftist organizers and I grew up in an environment of radical activism. I left that and got into dance, but this piece feels like a return to my roots as a community organizer. There was lot of group process that went into the things that we’re doing, honoring different people’s experience, how you use language to describe bodies. People working out the things they find difficult or offensive, and then going forth into the community. It feels like a kind of activism.”

Kupers credits MFA choreography professor Della Davidson for being his most supportive mentor.

“Of all my mentors, she has been the one who has stuck by me through this piece and really stuck by the vision of it. Many of my other mentors have been threatened by it; they haven’t been real supportive.”

Kupers’ challenge was in creating a work that transcends the notion of nudity. “Once you lose the shock value then what do you do? How do you sustain it from there on? It’s this weird paradox of wanting the charge around nudity to go away, to dissipate, but then wanting there to be a charge on the nudity from a deeper level. I know for me it feels like there is something very spiritual about being naked. I just feel a sense of purity in a way, but like clearness and aliveness when we take off our clothes in rehearsal. A sense of ‘this is it. There’s no hiding’.”

Kupers says that his work is loosely based on the archetype of Alice in Wonderland. As his “Alice” (Debby Kajiyana) steps through her looking glass, will a Davis audience follow her? Only time will tell.

“Flood” runs May 6-9 and 13-16 at 8 p.m. No one under the age of 18 is admitted without a parent or guardian. Tickets are available by calling 1-866-754-ARTS.

Steel Magnolias

Louisiana-born lawyer/actor/playwright Robert Harling wrote Steel Magnolias originally as a short story as therapy to help him deal with the untimely death of his diabetic sister, his “best friend,” following childbirth. "My nephew was about to turn five," he explained, "and I suddenly realized that if I didn’t put down on paper what happened to his mother, he’d never know who she was."

While the story tells of a tragic event, Harling injected it with a heavy dose of Southern humor, filled with wonderfully witty banter and wisecracks (“If you don’t have anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me!”). He set it in a beauty parlor, the mysterious and fascinating place where his mother and sister would disappear for a few hours each week with their friends.

Steel Magnolias premiered on Broadway in 1987 and was later made into a hugely popular movie with an all star cast that featured Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLean, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah and garnered an Academy Award nomination for Julia Roberts.

The Winters Community Theatre has chosen Steel Magnolias as its spring production, directed by Howard Hupe.

From the moment the curtains open on the Truvy’s Beauty Shop in Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana, thanks to the set design of Trent Beeby, Gloria Marion and Howard Hupe. we enter the world Harling created, and begin eavesdropping on the close knit group of women friends, these Southern belles whose shared camaraderie, joy and grief gives them the softness of magnolias, and the strength of steel.

The four-scene play takes place over a two year period of time in the late 1980s. All action takes place in the beauty shop under the direction of owner Truvy, played by Gloria Marion, who wields a comb with the professionalism of a real beautician (which Marion is in real life).

As the story begins, it is Shelby’s wedding day. Gina Wingard is a delicious Shelby, a headstrong young woman determined to have her own way, whether it is about the decorations for her wedding hairdo, or the decision to risk her life in order to have the baby for which she so desperately longs (“I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”)

New to the beauty shop is Annelle (Jennifer Hale), a young woman new to town, hiding a secret, and in need of a job. Hale seemed a bit unsure of herself in the opening scene, but grew more confident as the play progressed.

The marvelous Germane Hupe is Claree, an eccentric widowed millionaire. Hupe has wonderful comic timing and gets the most out of her biting sarcastic comments (“Very good, Annelle! You’ve spoken like a true smart-ass!”, “Ouiser could never stay mad at me; she worships the quicksand I walk on.”)

Maggie Burns is very funny as the crusty old spitfire Ouiser, who has a running feud going with Shelby’s father, her next door neighbor. (“The only reason people are nice to me is that I have more money than God.” “I’m not crazy; I’ve just been in a bad mood for 40 years.”)

Shelby’s social worker mother, M’Lynne, is played by Ann Rost. Rost was often the weakest in the cast, her lines spoken so softly they barely made it past the first row. However, she took command of the stage as the grieving mother, following Shelby’s death and had the audience in the palm of her hand, sniffles audible throughout the house. Her anger came from the very depth of her soul and was painfully familiar to anyone who has suffered the loss of a child.

This production of Steel Magnolias is a little rough around the edges, with some stumbling over lines here and there, but the six-woman cast forms a cohesive ensemble which combines to give a very real, funny, and moving experience for the audience.

Steel Magnolias continues at the Winters Community Center, 201 Railroad Avenue, Winters on weekends through March 28.

Guys and Dolls

It’s always good when you can walk out of a theatre thinking about something you’ve seen that really excites you. That “something” came in the person of Michael R.J. Campbell, Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Davis Musical Theatre Company’s production of “Guys and Dolls.” Campbell is a talented young man with a big voice and his “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat,” combined with Michael Miiller’s energetic choreograpy was easily the high point of this production.

“Guys and Dolls,” the 1952 award-winning musical by Frank Loesser, based on the book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling (based on tales of Damon Runyon) is a light-hearted look at the darker side of 1940s New York, and the lovable gangsters who inhabit it.

Director Jan Isaacson has assembled a cast of remarkably strong singers. Without exception they give wonderful voice to every song. Some are better actors than others.

Steve Isaacson was born to play the lovable scoundrel Nathan Detroit, a wise-cracking wheeler-dealer who runs the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York. Detroit is faced with a problem. Lt. Brannigan (Michael Miiler) is cracking down and he can’t find a place to hold the evening’s game.

Detroit has been engaged for years to Miss Adelaide (“the famous fiancee”), a dancer at the Hotsy Totsy club. All Adelaide wants is to finally marry Nathan and live in a house “with a picket fence and bookends.” Lauren Miller is a delightful Adelaide and, second only to Campbell’s Nicely-Nicely, delivers some of the most memorable musical numbers in the show.

Brennen Cull plays Sky Masterson, a high roller who is one of Detroit's regulars. Nicole Burritt-Smith plays Sarah Brown, the dedicated Salvation Army worker who has chosen to live among the seamy characters off Times Square in an attempt to convert the sinners. A wager between Masterson and Detroit leads to an unlikely romance between Masterson and Brown.

Cull and Buritt-Smith are both newcomers to DMTC and add much vocally. If you close your eyes and listen to Burritt-Smith, you might think you were listening to a young Shirley Jones. It’s a delicious, clear sound. Cull has a strong baritone and he comes alive whenever he sings. Unfortunately, there is little chemistry between the two characters, which makes their passion unbelievable and gives little energy to most of their scenes.

Returning for a second time as Arvide Abernathy, grandfather to Sarah, Bob Eggert’s touching “More I Cannot Wish You” displayed an unexpectedly strong voice.

Others in the cast include Mike McElroy as Benny Southstreeet; Ryan Adame as Rusty Charlie, ; Ben Bruening as Harry the Horse; Heather Sheridan as General Cartwright and Michael Jones as Big Jule.

Dancing is sometimes one of the weak points in community theatre productions, whose members are often stronger actors than dancers. However, Michael Miiller does wonders with DMTC casts. He has created such tight dance numbers in this production that it’s difficult to tell who in the cast has dance training and who does not. Whether a small ensemble for Hotsy Totsy club performances or full cast living it up in Havana, each dance number is a gem.

Jean Henderson has done her usual competent job in the costume department, especially in the colorful ensemble for the Havana scene. However, perhaps her most striking visual is for the Hot Box dancers in “Take Back Your Mink.”

One tiny quibble – in a production where such attention has obviously been made to period, in costume and set design (by Jennifer Walley), it was surprising in the opening number to see a photographer holding a camera as if he were looking at the LCD screen of a digital camera, rather than through the eyepiece of a film camera. Disconcerting and distracting for an amateur photographer to watch.

Guys and Dolls has a number of familiar tunes (“I’ll Know,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” “If I were a Bell,” “Luck Be a Lady” as well as the title song). It would be surprising if the audience did not emerge humming one of them at the end of the evening.

The production runs through March 28th at the Varsity Theatre.

Fiddler on the Roof

Tevye can't understand why the world is changing. The simple milkman from the little Russian town of Anatevka, in a strong portrayal by Davis Musical Theatre Company's founder and guiding light, Steve Isaacson, sits on his milk wagon -- the horse is lame again -- and asks his God why.

"Fiddler on the Roof," the perennial favorite based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, with music and lyrics by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, is at the Varsity Theater through Dec. 7.

The story is about change ... the changing relationships between parents and children, the changing political scene, the change in ... tradition. Some changes are easier to accept than others.

Mary Young reprises her role as Golde, Tevye's wife, who met him on their wedding day and who is surprised to realize, after 25 years, that she really loves her husband.

Their three oldest daughters are of marrying age and Golde turns to Yente the Matchmaker (played by Cathy Rasmussen) to find them a "perfect match."

The girls have other ideas. The oldest, Tzeitel (Lauren Miller) is secretly in love with Motel, the Tailor (Ben Bruening's best role to date), and begs her father to let her marry him instead of the older Lazar Wolf, the Butcher (Rick Simonson). Seeing how much in love the two are, Tevye gives his permission.

When it comes to the next daughter, Hodel (Wendy Wyse), Tevye reluctantly agrees to let her follow her love, the idealistic activist Perchik (Ryan Adame), to Siberia, knowing he may never see her again.

But when his favorite, Chava (Jillian Johnson) falls for a Russian soldier, Fyedka (played by Tevye Ditter -- that's really his name -- a man with terrific voice), the father draws the line and declares his daughter "dead."

The DMTC production, directed by Michael Miiller, is lively and fast-paced. The musical numbers are outstanding, particularly the opening number, "Tradition," involving all the townspeople in a circle dance and "To Life," a rousing song of celebration following Tevye's pact with Lazar Wolf to the marriage with his daughter.

The dream sequence, which Tevye concocts to convince Golde of the wisdom of the marriage of Tzeitel and Motel gives Jan Isaacson a chance to shine as Grandma and Dannette Vassar to make the most of the role of the ghost of Fruma-Sarah, the butcher's first wife.

(Kudos also to Rich Kulmann, the perfect Rabbi.)

Sets, designed by Isaacson, are utilitarian, but they work. It is unfortunate that the backdrop is not stretched tightly across the frame (and is badly bunched up in one corner), as the movement of actors backstage causes it to ripple badly and distracts from the action on stage.
The 16-piece band is under the direction of Andy Sullivan, and Noel Bruening does her own playing on stage as the Fiddler.

A nasty flu bug has been making its way through the company and affected some of the otherwise strong voices of cast, in both pitch and volume, a situation that surely will be cleared up by next weekend.
1.

Jesus Christ Superstar

In preparing for his third production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Davis Musical Theatre Company director Steve Isaacson set out with one goal in mind: “put great voices on stage with a great orchestra and let people enjoy themselves.”

Judging by the standing ovation from the near sell-out crowd at the Varsity theatre, at the conclusion of Saturday night’s performance, he succeeded.

The 1971 Andrew Lloyd Weber/Tim Rice rock opera, running through February 1, essentially traces the story of Jesus from Palm Sunday through the crucifixion and has enough musical intensity that you need little other than a hint of set and a strong set of singers.

While the story is about Jesus’ last days, the central figure really is Judas Iscariot, who has become disillusioned with all the hoopla surrounding this man he has followed for so long. He feels that the followers of Jesus have become fanatical and unrealistic in hailing him a god. He’s afraid Jesus is starting to believe his own press (“You’re starting to believe all the things they say of you; you really do believe this talk of God is true.”)

As he watches his interactions with Mary Magdalen, his anger at the temple, turning on the money lenders, and growing weary of the cripples asking to be healed, he questions more and more the nature of this man...he sings “I just want to know...”

Judas, like Che in the later Weber/Rice musical “Evita” acts as the moral conscience for the show and one needs to have a strong presence in the role. Director Isaacson has found him in Brian McCann. This DMTC veteran has always given solid performances and he does not disappoint in this production. We feel his pain when she sings that he simply wants to “strip away the myth from the man.”

Fulfilling the promise he displayed in DMTC’s earlier “Showboat,” Tev Ditter makes a wonderful Jesus. This is a human Jesus, one who can be moody, who gets angry, who knows his death is approaching and is afraid, who is disappointed in his followers.

Amber Jean Moore is a long way from Ellie May (“Showboat”) or Sandy (“Grease”) in playing Mary Magdalen, but she’s perfect in the role. She obviously loves Jesus, but this is a new love for her and she can’t quite work out what it is. Her “I don’t know how to love him” was very tender and poignant.

One of the consistent problems of community theatre, especially in a town as small as Davis, is that there are more good women available than good men. Thus what was intended to be a predominantly male show is actually quite female-heavy. Eight of the apostles are women, including Simon (Melody Davi).

Likewise two of the priests are women and Lenore Sebastian as Annas makes you wonder why this hasn’t always been a woman’s part. She handles it with the professionalism she brings to every role. No one in the audience would be wishing that a male had filled the role.

As Caiaphas, JD Diefenbacher, in his second role with DMTC gives a commanding portrayal as the high priest.

Gil Sebastian was born to wear a toga. He plays the anguished Pilate, wanting to wash his hands of the whole business. “If this man is harmless, why does he upset you?”

Michael Miiller brings comic relief with his 1920s version of King Herod dancing with his “Herod Dancers,” Katy Fast, Katherine Gohring, Dian Hoel and Holly Newell, their flapper costumes in stark contrast with the solemnity of the Biblical costumes. (Good work by the always-professional costume designer, Jean Henderson).

The mood of the piece is greatly enhanced by the lighting design of Mike McElroy, whose pools of light for Jesus are particularly good.

Now that DMTC has been so good to Jesus, one hopes that Jesus will return the favor and give them a theatre with good acoustics. As always the Varsity Theatre swallows a lot of the words, especially bad in this show, with the orchestra right on stage. Even the body mics for principals I know from other productions have wonderful diction and project beautifully couldn’t help that problem and the chorus, which could have used a bit more oomph, was very difficult, if not impossible, to understand in spots.

Still, this is a strong DMTC production and provides a solid evening’s entertainment.

Antigone

Following a devastating battle, a woman mourns the death of her two brothers. Etoclese, who, despise a promise to do so, refused to hand the rule of Thebes to his brother, has been buried with full state honors. Polyneices, who challenged his brother for the right to rule, is left on the battlefield for the dogs to eat.

The woman is Antigone, daughter of King Oedipus. In defiance of the edict of her uncle, the new king Creon, who assumed the reigns of government on the death of Etoclese, Antigone resolves to bury Polyneices with the same dignity accorded his brother.

At the heart of Antigone is an ancient yet timeless conflict: the rights, and the rites, of the individual when they clash with the needs of the state. Creon, newly crowned with a war-torn state to heal, can't afford to have his authority challenged. Antigone insists on dignity for her slain brother. Because she challenges Creon, she must die.

Great principles are at stake here: the rule of the state versus the rights of the individual, human versus divine law and so forth. (“Because I’m the king, that’s why...”) Plenty of parallels can also be drawn, to our current situation in Iraq.

Jean Anouilh wrote his Antigone at the height of the German occupation of France. The play mirrors the predicament of the French people under Hitler at the time. Acme director Dave Burmester, in his notes for the young people’s production of this masterpiece of the modern French stage, is astonished that the Gestapo, who governed Paris in 1943, were willing to allow the play to be produced at all. Perhaps it was because they found the play’s arguments for dictatorship so convincing.

Whether you look on the play from the viewpoint of Creon, trying to establish his authority, or from the viewpoint of Antione, following her conscience and the law of the gods to bury her fallen brother, Acme’s production is certain to evoke discussion about where authority ends and responsibility begins.

The play, directed by David Burmester, is running at the Veterans Memorial Theatre through January 17. It is a visually dramatic piece, with set by Karlee Finch and David Burmester which is stark and effective. The opening red lighting and recorded music (Shostakovich?), along with the precise, militaristic entrance of the cast is stunning.

Maddy Ryen’s “Chorus” is the glue that holds the show together, bringing us up to date with the story to this point, introducing us to the characters, and setting the stage for the inevitable tragedy. She handles the role with the self-confidence of a seasoned actress.

As the determined heroine Antigone, Alicia Hunt took a bit to get into her role, but as she grew more confident, she gave a strong performance. Her lengthy dialog with Creon was a tour de force for both actors.

Andrew Conard was a marvelous Creon, always in control, the tortured king who wants to save his young niece, but cannot tolerate her defiance of his law.

Others shone in smaller roles, such as Stephanie Rickards as Antigone’s beautiful sister Ismene and Dara Yazdani as Haemon, whose love for Antigone also leads to his own death.

James Henderson, as the First Guard gave a very strong performance and brought comic relief to the tragedy.

The cast is rounded out by Genny Moreno as Creon’s page, Shannon Larson-Maynard as Eurydice, Laurel Cohen as the Nurse, and Eric Delacorte and Josh Toliver as guards.

Antigone is a classic Greek tragedy which is as modern as today. At its core, it is a family tragedy about human failings with which we can all relate. As to who is right and who is wrong, it is up to the individual viewer to make those decisions.

The play runs some 90 minutes, with no intermission.

Unfortunately two patrons sat in the row near me and talked audibly through most of the show, making it difficult to become immersed in the story itself because of irritation at the rudeness of these two people. Someone else in the theatre was playing with a mobile phone, whose LCD screen would flash at inappropriate times.

A Chorus Line

Rockettes, eat yer heart out!

The sight of the Varsity stage filled with a kick line of gold-lamé clad men and women is not one anyone will soon forget.

The Davis Musical Theatre Company opened its production of "A Chorus Line," directed by Michael Miiller [sic] (who also plays the role of Director Zach) with choreography by Ron Cisneros on Friday night. It is "one singular sensation."

Not your stereotypical musical, "A Chorus Line" (book by James Kirwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Edward Kleban) not only won nine Tony Awards, it also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It was the first musical in years to win that particular award. When it closed, in April of 1990, after 15 years, it was the longest running Broadway show in history (a title eventually taken over by "Cats").

This play about dancers takes the audience through an audition process of a cattle call of a group hoping to land one of the 8 chorus slots in a Broadway show. It offers a glimpse into the individual lives of the singers/dancers who are hoping to make the final cut. Together, the grouop sings and dances, telling of their hopes and fears about whether or not they will get the job, in the opening number, "I Hope I Get It." Then, after the initial cuts have been made, each of the remaining group, in turn tells a little about themselves, under casting director Zach's probing questions, as he make his final selection. He takes no prisoners and his questions occasionally border on cruel

Receiving much of the bite of Zach's tongue is Cassie (Heather Benner), once his love interest. In "The Music and the Mirror," Cassie talks of the failure of her solo career. Roles have stop coming and she finds difficulty getting cast. She merely wants to return to her roots as a member of the chorus.

We get to know the others in the group from which the final selection will be made--Bobby (Marc Valdez), who wants to be a movie star; Mike (Colby Salmon), who tagged along after his sister to dance class and came to realize that "I can do that"; and Al and Kristine (Isaac Dailey and the delightfully ditzy Courtney Bufkin), now married and clutching each other for support. (The role of Al was played in the 1985 movie by Davis' own Tony Fields)

Maggie (Melody Davi) and Bebe (Patricia Glass), have escaped unhappy home lives by looking for solace in the theatre.

The ascerbic Sheila (a strong performance by Pamela Lourentzos) is a theatre veteran with a tough, brittle exterior hiding her own insecurities.

Likewise, Paul (Matt Dunn) has a secret he's ashamed to share. Dunn's Paul is almost painful to watch, so skillfully is the character drawn. (Paul's shameful little secret is one which dates the 1975 script. One suspects it would not be quite so shameful in 2003.)

An unlikely looking dancer is barrel-chested Richie (Marcus Mitchell) who lets us know from the first step that there is a pro at work (Mitchell has danced professionally in Finland and with the Sacramento Theatre Company)

Val (DMTC veteran Wendy Young) worried all through high school about her figure and finally found a way to turn heads. She's got it and isn't too shy to flaunt it. Her delightful "Dance 10, Looks 3" is a salute to plastic surgery.

Diana (Dena Lozano) gets to sing one of Hamlisch's prettiest (and most recognizable) tunes, "What I Did For Love" and she sings it flawlessly.

DMTC has pulled out all the stops, with a full pit band which, surprisingly, does not overwhelm the singers. Steve Isaacson has done a good job of recreating the traditional mirrored panel rotating set, with nice lighting for augmentation.

The production is not perfect, with a bit of slowness in the pacing of Act 1, a bit of polishing needed for the dazzling finale (there was a bit of confusion with a couple of the dancers about which way to turn, something I suspect will be quickly corrected), but overall, this is one of the best shows I have seen at DMTC.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has his fans and his detractors, and while his more recent works have found their share of criticism, it may be that his most genuinely popular work remains his initial collaboration with Tim Rice back in 1968: Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

"Joseph" was originally penned as a 20 minute program for a public school. The success of that production was such that it was expanded into a 40 minute production for a "fringe fair," then an hour-long production for London's West End, and finally a two-hour hit that enjoyed a lengthy run at London's Palladium.

The show is this week's offering at Music Circus, directed by Leland Ball, with musical direction by Dennis Castellano and costumes by David R. Zyla.

From the moment one enters the theatre and sees the multi-colored kalaidoscopic stage, the mood is set for a rollicking good time.

In the opening sequence (set in modern times), "Little Joe" is getting ready for bed, with Mama there to tell him a story. As Little Joe, Aaron Friedman is delightful. The kid's a real pro, having first appeared on the Music Circus stage in 2001. This is his second production of "Joseph." While he doesn't have too much to do in Act 1, he comes into his own in the show's finale.

The dialog for this scene appears to have been written specially for this production. It is at the very least a recent addition, as Joe prays for "Harry, Hagrid, Ron and Hermione" (and the Harry Potter books weren't even a twinkle in J.K. Rowling's eye back in 1968). There are also references to Giants hitter Barry Bonds and to various superheroes.

The scene does an excellent job of setting up the entire story as a child's dream, much as the opening sequences in the Wizard of Oz do for explaining the actions and the characters that Dorothy encounters after she flies over the rainbow. (The Barry Bonds reference, for example, explains why the Biblical Joseph would be playing baseball with his father!)

As to the story, it is, of course, the whimsical tale of Joseph, favorite son of Jacob, who is singled out from his 11 brothers and given a colorful coat by his father. His jealous siblings gang up on him, rip off his coat and sell Joseph into slavery. The torn coat is dipped in sheep's blood and Jacob is brought the sad tale of his son's demise.

Joseph becomes the slave of Potiphar (Chris Weikel) until his wife (Megan Hart) seduces him and then he is thrown in jail. There he begins to interpret the dreams of the butler (Danny Bergold) and baker (Michael McGurk) to the Pharoah and his skill brings him to the attention of the Pharoah himself, who also suffers from confusing dreams, and who appoints Joseph as his #2 man to get Egypt through an approaching drought.

That this tale could be told in such an entertaining manner is surprising. But with lyrics like 'And when Joseph tried it on, he knew his sheepskin days were gone' how could it be anything but charming?

As Little Joe falls off to sleep, the Biblical Joseph arises from his bed and the Bible story begins. Max von Essen is a strong Joseph, a commanding presence with an overlay of mischief in everything he does.

As Joe's mother, who morphs into the story's narrator, Misty Cotton, who previously performed this role with both Donny Osmond and with Sam Harris, is perfect. She has a lovely voice and her diction is so clear that one can understand every word.

Joseph's brothers (Kyle Gonyea, Michael-Demby Cain, Richard Bulda, Danny Bergold, Michael McGurk, Cameron Henderson, Jonathan Stahl, Jacen R. Wilkerson, Jordan Bass, Don Alden and Joseph Medeiros) are each strong singers, dancers, and occasionally acrobats, but Bulda as Levi and Kyle Gonyea as Ruben stand out from the rest. Bulda takes the lead in the wild-west rendition of "One More Angel in Heaven," breaking the news to Jacob of his son's "death." Gonyea belts out "Those Canaan Days" (a dramatic French chanson) with sometimes breathtaking force. Michael-Demby Cain as Simeon leads the "Benjamin Calypso" (which includes some audience participation).

Robert Gallagher's Pharoah is a hoot. The confines of the Music Circus stage do not lend themselves for the traditional entrance via sphynx, but his entrance is memorable enough, and when he takes mic in hand to sing....well, he's a real "king" in every possible sense of the word.

Kudos must be given to the imaginative staging of the set changes, which also serve to advance the "dream" notion, as little Joe, in his Spiderman pajamas is carried off, sleeping in his bed, by techies dressed as some of his favorite superheroes.

Very limited seating is available for this popular production, which runs eight performances only. Matinees are given Thursday and Saturday at 2 p.m., but "Joseph" is a short show. Even with a late start, 25 minute intermission, and the traditional extended curtain calls, the evening performance is over by 10 p.m.. But no one will leave the theatre feeling short changed. And the kids should love it.

Showboat

In 1926, Edna Ferber wrote a story entitled "Show Boat." Rogers and Hammerstein brought the story to the stage as a musical in 1927 and since that time, like the "Old Man River" celebrated in one of the show's better known songs, the story has just kept rolling along. It was one of MGM's most beloved musicals when it was brought to the screen in 1951. In 1993, Hal Prince revived the show in Toronto and it made its way to Broadway in 1994, where it once again became a big hit.

Behind the fun and frivolity, Show Boat is a show with messages about such provocative dramatic subject matter as alcoholism, spousal abandonment, and miscegenation.

The success of this show begins with a strong cast. So many songs have become American classics that it is imperative that any production have the talent to present them. In this, Davis Musical Theatre, ending its current season with the Hal Prince production, has succeeded very well.

DMTC co-founder, co-producer, musical director, set designer and light designer Steve Isaacson is also at the boat's helm as Capt'n Andy. Isaacson is always a delight to watch on stage and he does not disappoint in this production.

As his long-suffering, but never silent, wife Parthy, Mary Young turns in another solid performance, doing the things that she has come to do so well.

Kelly Mustain, as their daughter Magnolia, in love with a ne'er-do-well riverboat gambler, is a delight. She looks every inch the innocent maiden, is a wonderful actress and has a beautiful, clear voice. She is one of the high points of the evening.

Newcomer Tevye Ditter plays the handsome Gaylord Ravenal, looking somewhat Abraham Lincoln-esque with his stovepipe hat atop his already tall frame. Ditter has a wonderful voice, which didn't quite hit its stride until the second act, but he is a lucky find for DMTC.

The tragic figure of the piece is the mulatto, Julie Laverne, the torch singer passing for white, whose secret is revealed to the local police by disgruntled suitor Pete (Marc Valdez). Julie has two of the show's most famous songs to sing--"Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine" and "Bill" and Marguerite Morris gives both powerful performances. Morris, who is also credited with musical direction, is a wonderful Julie.

JD Diefenbacher is Joe, one of the most visible and memoriable characters in American theatre history. Diefenbacher (another newcomer and valuable find for DMTC) doesn't quite have the vocal range to give consistent strength to the lower ranges of "Old Man River," but one cannot fault his rendition. He has a booming basso and is a powerful presence.

As his wife, Queenie, Deborah Douglas, newcomer to Davis (and hopefully new regular for DMTC) is a delight--a multi talented woman who can act and sing up a storm.

In reviewing "Grease" recently, I mentioned that Amber Jean Moore was obviously a talented actress but we only got glimpses of her talent. The promise of "Grease" is fulfilled in "Show Boat." As the singer/dancer Ellie May, Moore is a knockout and the stage lit up whenever she appeared. Her dancing partner Frank (Laurent Lazard) was a nice complement and one wonders if the character came from New Orleans with that charming French accent!

With all this talent, it is unfortunate that the pace of the show lagged. With a delayed start and a nearly 2 hour first act, the ending time was 11:30 and that makes for a very long evening. Director Jan Isaacson has done some good work in presenting this show, but there definitely needs to be work done on timing to turn this "slow boat" into a "Show boat."

There are some inventive bits of scenery (I loved the revolving door in Act 2, which served as a vehicle to show the passage of time). Given DMTC's limited budget, set designer Isaacson has created a serviceable Show Boat, nicely complemented by Jean Henderson's beautiful costume design.

Stephanie Skewes gets kudos for choreography. I wish there had been program credit for the delightful male dancer, frequently partnered with Ellie when Frank wasn't around. He was terrific.

The DMTC 17 piece orchestra had a nice tone with all that brass, though quality was inconsistent throughout the show as, unfortunately, frequently happens with community theatre orchestras.

"Show Boat" is not perfect, but it has a lot going for it. I'm certain that as the company settles into the run, the pace will pick up and it will be a good, solid show. The talented cast makes it definitely worth checking out.

Two Gentlemen of Varona

It's a fairly safe bet that William Shakespeare never heard of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby or the "road shows" of the 40s, so I'm sure he would be quite surprised at Acme Theatre Company's interpretation of his "Two Gentlemen of Verona," playing this weekend at the Pence Gallery (Acme's last performance on the soon-to-be-eliminated Pence stage).

Director Dave Burmester who, in collaboration with his young cast, is famous for doing innovative things with Shakespearean plays. "It's the thing I've enjoyed about directing Shakespeare," he admits. "There are no stage directions It challenges you to be creative."

From the moment Arabian dancers come undulating onto the stage in this slap-sticky version of the play, it's obvious that this is not your mother's Shakespeare. It's a movie they are making, the second in a series of "Road" pictures, and each of the scenes is introduced by two director's assistants (Betsy Raymond and Genny Moreno) and ended by director Wyndham Bettencourt-McCarthy yelling "Cut!" (The ploy begins to get a little repetitious especially in very short scenes, despite the heroic efforts of Raymond and Moreno to keep each introduction different.)

Burmester has created a show which is broad and highly visual--a fortunate thing, given the perennial audio problems at the Pence, competing with traffic noise, train noises, and the sounds coming from the businesses nearby. The comedy comes across even when the lines are overpowered by environmental factors.

Burmester has also done his share of gender-bending. Faced with a company which is heavily female, he has found a way to shape the plot to incorporate female characters instead of male--the Duke of Milan, for example, becomes the Sultana of Damascus (Stephanie Rickards) --this is, after all, a "Road" picture! The servant Speed is portrayed as a saucy wench (Jill Winternitz).

The Hope-Crosby of the piece are Valentine (Andrew Conard) and Proteus (Martin Dubcovsky), the former off to see the world while the latter choses to remain at home to pursue his love, Julia (Shakti Howeth).

In a lovely scene which makes full use of the Pence stage, including a balcony, Julia confers with her maid Lucetta (Krystal White) to decide which of the available men she should fall in love with, though she really has already given her heart to Proteus.

Things get complicated when Proteus' mother Antonia (Laurel Cohen--another gender switch) sends her son to Damascus, where he falls in love with the Sultana's daughter Sylvia (Katie German), with whom Valentine is already in love.

There follow the twists and turns in the plot that one would expect, including a kidnapping by outlaws (led by chieftan, Eric Delacorte), a third suitor for the hand of Silvia (Thurio, James Henderson), a few more dance numbers (one with bass accompaniment by Spencer Russell) and in the end all's well that ends well--or is that another story line?

Adding comic relief throughout the piece is the indomitable Nick Herbert as Lance, the servant to Proteus and Jean Marsh as his dog, Crab.

Choreographer Krystal White gets special kudos for the fun dance numbers (with able assistance by sound board operator Spencer Russell).

This will be Acme's last performance on the Pence stage and it's well worth a trip to enjoy the show. Bring a chair and warm clothes (even on a warm evening, the cold breezes took over by the second act).

Grease

Reduced to its lowest common denominator, Grease, the American favorite by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, which helped make a star out of John Travolta, is the story of a nice girl who meets a nice boy during summer vacation. When school starts, she learns he's really one of the punks of the school and in order to be his girl she needs to run with the "bad" girls, learn to smoke and drink, dress provocatively and make fun of anybody who's not part of the in-crowd. And everybody lives happily ever after. Well, everybody in the in-crowd, that is.

It's hard to know why this latest offering by the Davis Musical Theatre has survived for so long and been so popular. There's a very minimal story line. It holds all the things we try to teach our kids to avoid (smoking, drinking, premarital sex, abortion, failing classes, bullying, etc.) as something "cool" to do.

About the only thing it has going for it is toe-tapping music and vigorous dance routines. If you don't have those, along with strong acting, and good voices, you have nothing.

When the actors on stage who attract your attention as being the most solid performers are not the leads, you know you're in big trouble. Heading that list are David "Turtle" Akona as Doody, Lauren DeMitchell as Jan, Mary Young as Miss Lynch, and Marc Valdez as Eugene. All give good, solid performances and it's hard to keep your eyes off of them when they are on stage. Akona keeps his character going through the curtain call.

The leads give uneven performances and, having seen people like David Holmes (Danny) give such an outstanding performance in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," it's hard to know if his uneven performance comes from within the actor or from director Jan Isaacson.

Likewise Amber Jean Moore (Sandy) is obviously a talented actress, but we only got glimpses of that talent, and she also seemed unable to project to the back of the house.

Megan Garcia (Rizzo) worked so hard on her bored, sardonic personna throughout that we had no glimpse into the soul of Rizzo, which we need in order to have any feelings at all for her fears about being pregnant. Her solo, "There are worse things I could do" displayed a powerful set of lungs, but again, no modulation. She was either very loud or unable to be heard.

The DMTC production needs a strong attention to detail, which it did not have.

The program lists the cast of characters "in the order of their appearance," but the first three people to appear on stage are somewhere toward the bottom of the list. It's a list by importance of character, not by order of appearance--and on the off chance you may be unfamiliar with the show, this could be confusing.

The show is set in 1959, but during the pajama party scene, the girls are reading an old movie magazine from the late 1940s (it shows a cover of Judy Garland from her MGM years, which ended in 1950--there are people in the audience who do notice such things).

The car, Greased Lightning is plainly visible throughout the show, though pushed offstage. It could be argued that there is no wing space at the Varsity Theatre, but the car could easily have been covered with a black cloth to prevent the audience from seeing it.

Choreography by Lori Holmes was quite good, though the cast didn't seem to have quite perfected it yet.

Jean Henderson's costumes were fine representations of the period (even down to the traditional poodle skirt), but she did Garcia a disservice with her first act costume, which was too tight in the waist and too short in the bodice, artificially giving the actress rolls of flesh around her waist which she obviously does not have naturally.

I was seated in the front row for the first act and thought that my inability to hear dialog and lyrics over the band was because I was sitting too close. However, moving back farther in the house did not help.

My overall impression of "Grease" is that there's no "there" there to begin with, but clever direction, costuming, choreography and acting can camouflage this bit of fluff and make you forget that you're rooting for Sandy to give up all of her moral values in order to be a likeable punk. Unfortunately, DMTC has not achieved that goal.

How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

After watching the opening moments of Davis Musical Theatre's current production, "How to Succeed in Business without really trying," one might think a touring Broadway show had slipped into the Varsity theatre unannounced. David Holmes' performance as J. Pierrepont Finch, the ambitious window washer who climbs the corporate ladder to the top of the World Wide Wicket Company is that good. He is matched by an equally strong performance from Andrea St. Clair (who is also the show's choreographer) as Rosemary Pilkington, the woman who sets her cap for him.

It is only when the curtains part to reveal the modest set that one remembers that this is community theatre. Over the years, DMTC has given us some amazingly good productions and some not so good. "How to Succeed" is among the best.

Director Steve Isaacson and choreographer St. Clair have crafted a show which is sprightly and crisp and assembled a cast which does it justice. It would be untruthful to say that every performer delivers a professional quality performance--this is community theatre after all. But there are enough top notch performances that one forgives the less professional. The amazing thing is that Isaacson has wrung some of the best performances out of his less professional actors that I have seen since reviewing DMTC.

"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is written by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, based on the Pulitzer prize winning self-help book of the same name by Shepherd Mead. This is not a musical with tunes you've heard all your life, but still songs like "I Believe in You" and "Brotherhood of Man" may be familiar to some.

The show is set in the 1960s, years before the phrase "sexual harassment" would enter the common vocabulary, and so it must be viewed in its historical context. "Leave your political correctness at the door," director Isaacson warns, but there is little offensive in this humorous look at big business of the day, other than a little leering at the secretaries, a situation which is handled nicely by a reminder that "A Secretary is not a toy."

As Finch begins to make use of his self-help manual, he finds ways of manipulating just about everyone. He convinces Human Relations director Ben Bruening that he has a personal relationship with the CEO, J.B. Biggley (Arthur Vassar), and Bruening agrees to give him a job in the mail room. (The reliable Bruening delivers a solid performance--and his diction is impeccable.)

In the mail room, Finch meets Bud Frump (Tony Kelly), the slimy nephew of Biggley and a firm believer in nepotism. Kelly is marvelously smarmy as the creep you love to hate, but he is no match for the clever Finch.

Finch finds a way to get on the good side of Miss Jones, Biggley's prim and proper secretary, who discovers that she really has a wild side. The indomitable jazz-singing, skat singing Lenore Sebastian is a knockout in a rare supporting role.

What would a big business story be without a femme fatale? Lauren Miller, as Hedy LaRue, fills the bill nicely. Miller, in her second performance with DMTC, is tall and beautiful and knows how to wear stilleto heels.

A wonderful find for the company is Megan Rose Garcia, as Smitty Rosemary's sidekick who is helping her win the hand of the oblivious Finch.

Gil Sebastian is deliciously funny in the dual roles of the retiring mailroom supervisor Twimble and the Chairman of the Board, Wally Womper.

Once again, the confines of the Varsity theatre leave little room for more than utilitarian sets, but Isaacson has made the most of what he has to work with. Of particular note is the on-stage elevator, through which just about every entrance is made, even into and out of the men's bathroom. ("If you have an elevator, use it," he says) The marvelous thing about the elevator is that it worked every time...it's the sort of thing that is ripe for timing accidents, but there was nary a one.

Jean Henderson's costumes appropriately suggest office atmosphere, and she's had some fun with things like Smitty's opening act pink business suit and the vamp attire for Hedy.

St. Clair's snazzy choreography is irresistible. It will at the very least set your toes tapping, if you don't exit the theatre waving your arms in the air in the manner of a last act finale.

"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is a real winner for Davis Musical Theatre Co.

The Vagina Monologues

Imagine Meg Ryan multiplied by 15. That will give you a bit of the sense of 15 women simulating orgasm on the stage of the Varsity Theatre.

The event was Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," sponsored by the Women's Resources and Research Center, the Department of Theatre and Dance, and Campus Violence Prevention Program as a fund raiser for the upcoming "V-Day" (February 14). Funds raised during the run of this production will beneft the Family Protection Clinic of UCD Law School and the Hmong Women's Heritage Association.

This is the fifth time I've seen The Vagina Monologues in the past 12-15 months and the amazing thing to me is the wide variety in interpretation of the material. The piece, which grew out of interviews that Eve Ensler did with more than 200 women, recount the wide range of feelings that women have regarding that central portion of their anatomy.

Of the piece, Ensler explains, "I talked with hundreds of women. I talked to old women, young women, married women, single women, lesbians, college professors, actors, corporate professionals, sex workers, African American women, Hispanic women, Asian American women, Native American women, Caucasian women, Jewish women. At first, women were reluctant to talk. They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them."

The resulting script is funny, frank, poignant, and definitely contains "mature" material. The program explains that "performers read from the script to remind the audience that these are real women's stories."

Ensler performs it as a solo. Without Ensler, it has been usually done by three actresses sitting on the stage, each reading from the script. The UCD production, under the direction of John Lawton-Haehi (and assistant Shannon Davis) takes a different approach.

The curtain opens on fifteen women sitting in chairs or on the floor, dressed in shades of black accented by bright red feather boas (visually quite stunning). The material is then performed, sometimes by the group as a whole, each reciting a line or two, sometimes by individuals stepping out of the group to do a solo piece. The program does not list the names of the individual performers, which is a little frustrating for a reviewer.

This year's group consists of: Emily Grande, Jihna Ejan, Stephanie Sanchez, Marie Masson, sunny Nordmarken, Margaret McClellend, Antoinette Kohlmeister, Holly Rash, Keisha Sheffield, Jennifer Hoofard, Jaime Williams, Linda Rentner, Lauren Miller, Laura Gephart and Rebekah Piplo.

It's a more uneven assemblage than the previous cast. There are exceptional performances, and ordinary performances, and some who had difficulty with projection, so that their lines got lost in the vastness of the Varsity Theatre.

But, as the saying goes, "when they were good, they were very, very good."

Among the "very, very good" pieces was "The Flood," the story of a New York Jewish grandmother who is being asked about her "down there" for the first time in her life. The actress who brings this woman to life does so so skillfully that you forget she is a young college student and see, instead, the old woman she is portraying. The old woman is alternately appalled and delighted to be talking about her "down there," and in the end amazed that anybody would even be interested.

A piece I had not seen before, about the naming of vaginas was beautifully acted.

"My Angry Vagina" is very funny piece, given a bravura performance, about the indignities that vaginas are forced to suffer--everything from tampons to the "cold duck lips" of gynecological examinations. ("Why the rubber gloves? Why the flashlight all up there like Nancy Drew working against gravity, why the Nazi steel stirrups, the mean cold duck lips they shove inside you?")

Always a strong moment, "The Little Coochie Snorcher that Could" does not disappoint. A strong, striking actress recounts the story of a woman who grew up hating her vagina and how she learned to love it and herself.

The penultimate moment is a litany of types of orgasms, culminating in one gigantic triple orgasm for 15. The audience laughed and cheered.

The piece takes the audience to the depths of reality, with accounts of the rape of women in Bosnia and genital mutilation and then leads them out again with stories which are funny or just plain touching (such as the interview of a 6 year old girl. The actress playing the 6 year old is delightful).

While this year's offering does not have the impact of last year's, the sold-out house was on its feet cheering at the end and I don't think anybody went home unaffected. The cause is a good one. The play is a delight. And be sure to buy some of those chocolate truffles in the lobby before you go in!

Stars: 4

The Water Children

"The Water Children," by Wendy MacLeod, now running at the Veterans Memorial Theatre, is a controversial show which deals with the volatile subject of abortion.

To prepare for the show, the cast of Acme Theatre Company began meeting with Director Dave Burmester for weekly dinners several months before rehearsals began to discuss the play and the issue of abortion. The director told his cast that he didn't care where they stood on the issue, but he wanted each of them to have a position that his or her character supported, so that they could effectively portray that character.

Members from the Davis Crisis Pregnancy Center met with the cast. (Planned Parenthood was also invited to participate, but did not follow through.)

The preparatory work and the direction--and perhaps the sense of urgency which resulted from Burmester's untimely surgery--have blended together to produce a very strong production.

The plot concerns Megan (Shakti Howeth), an out of work actress who is offered a role in an anti-abortion commercial. Because she herself had an abortion at age 16 and is pro-choice, she initially refuses the job, until she discovers it will pay well, and she needs the money. Howeth gives a brilliant performance, and is on stage almost the entire show (save for some very quick costume changes).

As she begins to work on the commercial, Megan finds herself attracted to the head of the group, Randall (a solid performance by Nick Herbert) and enters into a relationship with him. She begins to question her teen-aged decision. In a series of fantasy scenes, she imagines what her son would have been like at various ages. James Henderson is perfect as Chance, a whiney young child, growing into a know-it-all college student, and acting as the voice of calm in Megan's ambivalence regarding her actions.

Megan's feminist roommate Liz (a powerful interpretation by Jill Winternitz) is vocal in her anger at Megan's involvement with the group and in her dislike of Randall.

"There are a lot of stereotypes in this show," says Burmester, "but the cast gives them depth." Indeed this is a marvelous ensemble show where each of the characters comes to life as believable human beings.

Martin Dubcovscky is Toni Dinardi, the rabid anti-abortion gun nut, undoubtedly modeled on murderer John Salvi. His performance gives just that uncomfortable sense that leaves the audience on edge, wondering if he will go over the brink or not.

Katie German is Crystal, who claims to have started life as an aborted fetus rescued from a garbage pail by a sympathetic nurse, and who is now staunchly pro-life. Crystal is militantly perky. German also plays a waitress and gives an extraordinary portrayal of a cat.

Krystal White is Megan's agent, Kit, and also a waitress. In addition, she gives a sympatetic performance as Megan's mother .

Andrew Conrad is wonderfully fey as Rodger, the hairdresser, and also plays a snooty TV director, Chance's father and a Buddhist priest.

Despite its serious theme there is a lot of humor in this play and at its conclusion, Megan is faced with blending her feelings and her experiences and attemtping to reconcile her past with her present in order to make life-altering decisions.

The play makes no final moral judgement, but leaves it up to each member of the audience to assess their own feelings on the subject.

The set design by Josh Nielsen is beautifully simple and works extraordinarily well, especially in the final scene.

Special kudos to Lighting Designer Tiffany Lynn Michael, who has created a design which beautifully separates fantasy from reality.

Stage Manager Karlee Finch is credited with sound design and has done a perfect job of selecting the background music for the various scenes.

After the curtain call, there is a q&a between the cast and the audience. The effect of the script on the young actors became blatantly obvious as they explained how their feelings about abortion, and about safe sexual practices had been strongly altered by becoming enmeshed in the actions of the characters and in the story itself.

In this day and age, if there is any more rewarding pay-off of presenting a play like "The Water Childen," I can't think of it.

Nuncrackers

Christmas is coming and the holiday productions are beginning roll out. The Winters Theatre Company may be the first to log in with its production of Dan Goggin's "Nuncrackers," (directed by Howard Hupe) running through December 7 for the general public, at the Winters Community Center, with a special production on December 8 as a fund raiser for Soroptomists.

It would be pointless to review the script for this silly pastiche, or to complain that the jokes are familiar and the bits predictable, or that the performances were not polished, nor the voices trained. All that may be true, but the fact is that despite everything, the show is a hoot. It's a wonderful piece for a small amateur theatre and it mixes script with ad lib so well that the line flubs are hardly noticeable--or are they scripted? Who can tell?

The premise is that the Little Sisters of Hoboken, first introduced to the theatre-going public in Goggins' hit, "Nunsense," have come into some money (Sister Mary Paul--"Amnesia"--won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstake) and the sisters are going to have their annual Christmas pageant filmed for television. The idea of the cameras rolling and the actions being filmed seems to be forgotten about a quarter of the way into the first act, but who cared?

As the production begins, the nuns walk through the seating area, interacting with the patrons. If you have a Catholic school background, you want to sit up straight and say "yes, sister!"

The action moves to the stage and we meet The Little Sisters of Hoboken--Mother Superior (Sister Mary Regina), known in a previous life as Gloria Marion is the epitome of a mother superior--she's stern, but has a heart of gold, she's strict, but loose enough to don a pink tutu over her habit and dance the Sugarplum Fairy. She tries to keep things all together, but watches things unravel, bit by funny bit.

Sister Mary Hubert (Laurie Brown in secular life) is her second in command, comfortable whether supporting Mary Regina or singing the hysterical "In the Convent" with the rest of the cast a la The Village People.

The Brooklyn Born Sister Robert Anne (Diane Taylor to her family) is a wisecracking, tough exterior nun who shows her softer side when singing "When Jesus was born in Brooklyn," describing an emotional childhood Christmas.

And then there is dear, ditzy Sister Mary Paul, who used to be Gina Wingard, who seems to be in a perpetual daze and who can't quite get things right, but who is so loveable that everyone puts up with her, fondly.

Sister Mary Annette is not identified by former name in the program, but let's just say that she is the nun who is the most easily manipulated.

Sister Mary Ignatius, the convent musician, is only briefly seen peeking out from behind the piano, perhaps remembering her days when she was known as Lynne Secrist.

Every convent has a liaison with the local parish priest and Father Virgil Trott (Trent Beeby) fills the bill nicely, even when he needs to substitute for absent Sister Julia (Child of God), doing a demonstration of how to make a fruitcake. One of the funnier bits of the show.

What would a convent Christmas pageant be without the participation of some of the school kids? Austen Dahn, Olivia Wingard, Alec Bouwens, Catherine Wennig and irresistable Brandon Emery are perfectly cast. Professional enough to be disciplined performers, but still the stereotypical grammar school kids bumbling through musical numbers. Dahn does a lovely solo on "O Holy Night."

Set design is by Ken Grubaugh, Bob Taylor, Mark Dahn and Howard Hupe. It's the perfect Christmas setting which not only decorates the whole stage in holiday fashion, but makes clever use of turntables to make a Christmas tree become a nativity scene and a partition become a cooking demonstration table. The additional pieces for the children's "teapot" number are very clever.

Laura Bouwens, Heather Collins and Germaine Hupe have created the costumes. Not only are the nuns' habits authentic looking, but the additions, such antlers, halos, aprons, and the aforementioned tutus add to the fun.

This production of "Nuncrackers" is very definitely worth the drive to Winters. You'll leave with a big smile on your face and holly in your heart.

(And don't forget to read the whole program--it's almost as much fun as the show itself.)

Carousel

A cast of hundreds! Well...dozens. But when the curtain opened on the Davis Musical Theatre production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," it seemed like hundreds. Director Jan Isaacson and set designer George Soffos put together a carnival atmosphere, complete with belly dancers and a real carousel. Combined with a lovely mix of costumes by Jean Henderson, and the beautiful Carousel Waltz played by the 9-piece backstage orchestra it was a visual delight.

"Carousel," first seen on Broadway in 1945, was the second collaboration of Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein who had, two years before, given the world "Oaklahoma!" It was "Carousel" which solidified the colaboration and established the duo as an institution of American theatre.

With such familiar songs as "You'll Never Walk Alone," "If I loved you" and "June is bustin' out all over," the show is a sure-fire audience pleaser.

The DMTC production is filled with strong voices and marks the debut of some wonderful new performers to the DMTC family.

Heading the list is Frank Salamone as Billy Bigelow, the ne'er do well carnival barker who falls in love with Julie Jordan, a local factory worker. Salamone is a powerful presence on stage, though the apparent age disparity between himself and Amy Schoedel (Julie) affected the chemestry between them. He also had some difficulties staying on pitch in spots, which may have been a case of opening night jitters.

Schoedel, in her sixth season with DMTC, has a lovely clear soprano and was an endearing Julie, innocent in her infatulation with Billy, devoted even in the face of his abusive treatment of her, and steadfast in the raising of their daughter as a single mother, after Billy's death.

Andrea St. Clair as Julie's friend Carrie Pipperidge is a real DMTC find. She is making her debut with the company and was a delight to watch on stage, both as the love-struck young girl preparing to marry her Mr. Snow and, with the passage of time, as the older mother of 10.

Matt Dunn, as Mr. Snow, is returning to DMTC after a 3 year absence and was a welcome addition to the cast. He was also choreographer for "Carousel" and has created a number of complex dance numbers so skillfully, that it is difficult to distinguish the non-dancers from the trained dancers.

The ever dependable Ben Bruening played Jigger, who convinces Billy to rob the mill owner to get some money for his expected baby. Bruening was effective as the villain and deserved the good natured hisses he received at the curtain call.

Catherine Hagan returns to DMTC to play the maternal Nettie Fowler, who takes Julie under her wing after Billy's death. She handles her big moment, the emotional "You'll Never Walk Alone" quite nicely.

Julie & Billy's young daughter, Louise was competently played by Stephanie Skewes.

Sets for this production were minimal--sometimes almost non-existent (a very long scene with only a bench on stage), but one forgives such lapses in a company which is saving its pennies to build it's very own new theatre (set to open in time for next season).

At nearly three hours, this is a long show, somewhat extended by a fairly slow pace, which may pick up as the show contiues its run and the actors become more comfortable in their roles. But DMTC fans will not be disappointed. The faces of the small children singing out "You'll Never Walk Alone" with the adults in the final scene is a wonderful indication of how much love has gone into this production and how much effort everyone has put into it.

Harmony In Our Lives

Stephen Peithman is not a music teacher. He doesn't play a musical instrument or lead a band, so he is a little confused about why he is being given the "Harmony in Our Lives" award at this year's Davis Music Benefit show on November 3. "I'm delighted," he says, "but it never occurred to me that this would be something that I would win."

However, when one examines Steve's life, especially his life in Davis over the last thirty years, one can see that his whole life is "harmony"--musical experiences, musical interactions, musical contributions, musical colleagues, all blend together into the harmony that is Stephen Peithman's life.

The son of a physics professor and a university librarian, Steve grew up in Humboldt, surrounded by music, from the classical music and show music his parents enjoyed, to a grammar school that encouraged and nurtured students' interest in music. "Everyone was encouraged to be in the band. If you didn't have enough money for an instrument one was loaned to you. I think that's really important. You learn and appreciation of music and you learn about the fun of music."

Steve played the trumpet, but his strength was singing. "We sang all the time when I was in school." In the 8th grade, he played the Major General in a production of "Pirates of Penzance," (a role he reprised at Humboldt State), a foreshadowing of his involvement with the Davis Comic Opera Co. years later.

Armed with a degree in English and French, and backed by a promise by his father to pay for any graduate school he wanted to attend, if he would complete his undergraduate work at Humboldt State ("I was a faculty brat"), Stephen headed to France, where he spent his first graduate year in Aix en Province, after which he completed his graduate work in journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Through the influence of his high school music teacher, he interviewed with the editor of Sunset magazine and ended up on the staff of the garden department, where he spent his time "thinking of new ways of writing about worms and snails." (His experiment with snail races still stands out as one of his favorite projects!) But while he enjoyed the job, he did want to get a PhD in American Literature, so he gave up the position and came to UC Davis ("It seemed like a good place.")

He completed his degree in 3-1/2 years "...and it was a real joy." While at UCD he performed with the ASUCD musical theatre, where he first worked with Harry Johnson and Alan Stambusky. "Harry Johnson directed a production of "Sweet Charity" with Lenore Heinson (then Turner) as Charity and Alan Stambusky directed "Man of La Mancha"--I played the villain in that one."

It was the beginning of Stephen's thirty-year involvement in and influence on music in Davis. "In May or June of 1973 I saw an item in the Davis Enterprise that there was a new group starting up, and it didn't have a name yet. It was the Davis Comic Opera Co. and I did the first show that summer in Wyatt Pavillion." Steve would go on to perform in and direct many shows, as well as serve on DCOC's board.

By now he had finished his PhD and found a job with San Francisco Magazine, but it was music that drew him back to Davis. DCOC founder Bob Cello recommended him as editor of the now-defunct quasi-independent publication "The Spectator." "It's interesting that all these things have come through at various times rather miraculously, but oftentimes I think it's through the network and people you know."

Stephen has had his finger in a number of musical pies in and around Davis for the past twenty years. In addition to helping to found the Davis Comic Opera Company, he has directed musical comedies for over 25 years for other groups in the region, including the Woodland Opera House and the Davis Players. He is also editor of the national community theatre magazine, "Stage Directions" and hosts his own weekly musical program, "Musical Stages" on public radio KXPR. ("Musical Stages," highlighting one or more recordings of stage productions, the famous and the flops, is a natural for someone who has "well over 1,000 recordings" of musicals in his own personal collection.)

However, perhaps his most visible involvement for the past eleven years has been the Citizens Who Care benefit musical program, highlighting various American composers. "That's been one of the great joys of recent years. And the cause is so great. But just working with that group of people." Stephen has worked with former Harmony in Our Lives recipient Martha Dickman at organizing the program, and his narration and anecdotes about the spotlighted composer have been the glue that have held the show together.

"Davis really is a wonderful community and very collaborative, very cooperative," Stephen says. "I think that's one reason why I've enjoyed living here and don't really want to live anywhere else. It's that community that I've really appreciated. I guess if there is music in my life it's been for lots of reasons, but it's been mostly because of other people, beginning with my parents. Maybe I had a natural interest and maybe an aptitude, but you have to have encouragement, which goes back to music in the schools. I had such a good experience when I was growing up."

"The joy of making music--that's the key. People need to be exposed to it, even if they don't become singers or instrumentalists, they can understand the fun and I suppose the dedication of the people who do that stuff," he states.

Stephen has been making music all of his life, his voice and his talents blending together with those of others to make beautiful harmony.

There will be two benefit performances of the 14th Harmony in Our lives, with proceeds benefitting the Davis School Arts Foundation to support music education in all Davis Schools. Sunday November 3, 2002 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Veterans' Memorial Theatre. The 1 p.m. show will feature the North Davis Elementary school chorus, the Emerson Junior high chorus, the Davis high concert choir and treble chorus, and the West Valley chorale (barbershoppers). The 3:30 p.m. show will feature the Marguerite Montgomery elementary school kindergarten chorus, the St. James school choir, the Holmes Junior High chorus, the Davis high madrigals and jazz choir and the West Valley chorale. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students (or both shows for $12 adults and $7 children). Tickets are available at Carousel Stationery, 2nd and F Standard score, and at the performance.

Seussical, the Musical

Every one of our children liked Seuss books a lot
Then I heard of a musical--This would be hot!
Horton, the Grinch, silly Mayzie, the Cat
The Community Center was where it was at.

(apologies to Dr. Seuss and grammar buffs everywhere!)

Seussical the Musical, the Tony award nominee by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Eric Idle,  is one of those shows that you just wanna like.  It has the irrepressible Cathy Rigby in the title role, for starters.  It is running cute TV promos.  It has a high-energy cast, outstanding technical effects, and it's all a loving tribute to one of the most beloved of children's authors.

What's not to like?

Why did I come away with reservations?

I expected to find a lot more children in the audience.  There were children, but they didn't seem to be excited.  Many looked sleepy.  At intermission, I asked the little girl sitting next to me how she liked the show and she replied "It's all right." 

"It's all right" seems to describe the show to a T.  It's neither a children's show, nor an adult show, though it has elements of both.  There isn't enough "character appeal" and it may be too wordy for younger children to be enthusiastic about, though there is enough activity to hold their attention.

Still there is much to enjoy in this traveling production.  Starting with some 32 different musical numbers, in varying musical styles ("Cats" meets "The Lion King"), none of which is particularly memorable, with the exception of the opening "Oh the Thinks You Can Think."

Some of the special effects are pretty spectacular--lighting designer Howell Binkley gets star billing for this one, as does "director of flying," Paul Rubin.  A bathroom scene, which morphs into McElligot's Pool, is simply outstanding and will take your breath away.

Likewise the costumes of David Woolard perfectly capture the essence of Dr. Seuss, especially at the Circus McGurkus.  (One bird girl wears an amazing feathered jacket that was quite an eye-catcher.) 

Rigby, as The Cat in the Hat, is darling.  She has sparkle to burn and her interactions with the audience were wonderful, going into the house to interview children, conduct an auction, or spray the crowd with silly string.  She's at her best, however, in the flying stunts which are nothing short of spectacular, thanks to Zex Flying Illusions.  It helps to have a gymnast in this role and Rigby pulls out all the stops.

Richard Miron, as JoJo (he alternates with Drake English) was the perfect young boy to be both entertained by the story, and become a part of it as the son of the mayor of Whoville (Don Stitt) and his wife (Amy Griffin).

"The story didn't interfere with the plot," as there was no real plot per se, but the evening wove together several familiar Seuss stories, which blended quite well.  Mostly it centered around the noble Horton, the elephant (an earnest and steadfast portrayal by Eric Leviton), first in his discovery of the microscopic Whos on their dust-speck planet and his quest to save them, and then in his protection of the egg left in his care by the lazy Mayzie LaBird (Gaelen Gilliland).  Horton, the heart of the show,  is aided in his endeavors by the lovelorn Gertrude McFuzz (Garrett Long), who wants a spectacular tail--and gets it.

Natasha Yvette Williams was outstanding as the Sour Kangaroo (with an ingenious costume for her young offspring), though her character didn't add much to the story line and her musical numbers were quite a departure from the rest. 

Other familiar and beloved Seuss characters also make appearances such as the Grinch (Richard Rowan), Yertle the Tertle (Brian Mathis).

There's no denying that this is an entertaining evening of theatre, with moments of glitz and moments of charm.  But the whole is lacking a certain "something."    Several people around us  left at intermission, and the Sacramento audience, which generally leaps to its feet at the curtain call of just about anything, sat and politely clapped through all the bows until Ms. Rigby came on at the very end.  Everyone who stayed to the end had enjoyed the show--they just weren't wildly enthusiastic about it.

Stars:  3

Performances run through October 14 at  8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, at 2 p.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sunday and at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 6

The Vagina Monologues

Several hundred women and a handful of men rose to their feet to give a standing ovation at the conclusion of opening night of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," playing at The Crest Theatre in Sacramento for 7 shows only, through September 22.

This 90 minute cult classic celebration of womanhood has been performed in 40 countries and translated into 35 different languages. There are currently two professional companies touring around the United States.

The show is both a celebration of women's sexuality and a condemnation of its violation. It is a compilation of very empowering stories about women coming to terms with their sexuality. It frees the audience to say "the 'V' word" and brings sheer delight to feminism.

Ensler spoke with hundreds of women--old women, young women, married women, single women, lesbians, college professors, actors, corporate professionals, sex workers, African American women, Hispanic women, Asian American women, Native American women, Caucasian women, Jewish women. "At first, women were reluctant to talk," says Ensler. "They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them." The resulting script is funny, frank, poignant, and definitely contains "mature" material.

Performers read from index cards to remind the audience that these are real women's stories. Ensler believes the index cards provide a connection between the performers and those women.

This particular production, featuring Glynis Bell and Rhonda Ross is designed to feature a celebrity with ties to the local community joining the other two women, sitting on stage discussing the most intimate details of a woman's body. September 18-20, the third chair is occupied by The Zone's Monica Lowe. September 21-22 The View's Lisa Ling will join Bell and Ross.

There are 17 monologues ranging from interesting bits of information (e.g., there are twice as many nerve endings in a clitoris as in a penis) to the descriptive (a marvelous account of a gynecology exam. "WARM THE DUCK LIPS!") to a list of responses to questions like "if your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" or "if your vagina could talk, what would it say?"

(Some set pieces from previous versions of the show, such as the dated "Under the Burqua," have been eliminated in this production.)

The actresses are at their best, however, when they tell the stories. Glynis Bell shines when reading "The Flood," an interview with a 72 year old woman who had never seen her vagina, never had an orgasm ("Down there? I haven't been down there since 1953."). Equally strong is her reading of "The Little Coochi Snorcher that Could," the story of a battered woman in a homeless shelter ("My Coochi Snorcher is a very bad place, a place of pain, nastiness, punching, invasion and blood. It's a site for mishaps. It's a bad-luck-zone.")

She is at her very best, however, in "The Women Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy," a piece which very definitely needs to be seen to be appreciated, and which generated the strongest reaction from the audience.

Rhonda Ross is very funny relating the R-rated "My Angry Vagina" which discusses feminine hygiene products, physical exams and underwear. She also reclaims some pejorative terms for female parts, leading the audience in a chant to remove the stigma.

As the guest performer, Monica Lowe was the weakest of the three, and the disparity was unfortunate. Though guest performers are not expected to have the script memorized (a deliberate instruction), the reading of her material was often hesitant, stumbling, and provided a contrast to the stronger actresses. She seemed much less comfortable on the stage.

This is a funny, moving, empowering play. Bring your teen age daughters, bring your elderly mother, bring your lesbian neighbor, and even bring your male friends, who will certainly learn a lot they never knew before. You will leave with a whole new appreciation of your body, your femininity, and your power as a woman.

A portion of the proceeds of this show will to directly to V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day will then pass the contribution on to Sacramento organizations: My Sister's House, a safe haven established for battered Asian and Pacific Islander women and children; WEAVE, established for women escaping a violent environment; and Citrus Heights Women's Center, which opened in 2000 to provide services for victims of domestic violence in the community.

Stars: 4

Remaining performances:
9/19 - 8 p.m. (Monica Lowe)
9/20 - 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. (Monica Lowe)
9/21 - 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. (Lisa Ling)
9/22 - 2 p.m. (Lisa Ling)

The Secret Garden

The Davis Musical Theatre Company has opened its 18th season with "The Secret Garden," based on the classic tale by Frances Hodgson Burnett, adapted by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon, and directed, in this production, by DMTC co-founder Steve Isaacson (who is also credited with vocal direction and light design).

"The Secret Garden" tells of Mary Lennox, orphaned in India, where her parents and everyone she knew died in a cholera epidemic. She is taken back to England to live with her only remaining relative, her uncle Archibald Craven, who lives in a lonely mansion on the Yorkshire Moors.

Archibald has been wallowing in deep grief over the loss of his wife (who died during childbirth), and has isolated himself from the world, and especially from his sickly son, Colin, who is bedridden and kept hidden in his room by his physician, Archibald's brother Neville.

The arrival of Mary, initially a spoiled, self-centered child who has been waited on all her life, causes disruption in the carefully ordered life that Archibald has built for himself.

In her loneliness, Mary begins to explore the grounds and finds secret garden, planted by Archibald's wife, Lily, and locked ever since her death. With the help of the gardner, Dickon (brother of the chambermaid, Martha), Mary works to revive the garden, and in so doing she is herself changed into a caring child who ultimately brings life back to the house, to Archibald and to Colin.

This is big show and a difficult show to do well. Within its limited resources, DMTC has done a credible job. There are very strong points in this production.

Heading these is Rodger McDonald, a very strong Archibald. McDonald allows the audience to feel the pain of his grief and his struggle with his feelings for his son. His duet ("Lily's Eyes") with his brother Neville (Jason Stevens) is one of the shows strongest moments.

13 year old Erin Carpenter, in her first DMTC adult show, is a better actress than singer, but her acting is so strong and she brings such earnestness to the role of Mary that one can overlook her vocal inconsistencies.

Pheonix Vaughn is a lovely Lily, whose spirit watches over the house and whose love for Archibald persists despite the separation that death has caused. Their duet, "How Could I Ever Know" was lovely.

A particularly strong performance is turned in by Megan O'Laughlin in the small role of the chambermaid, Martha.

Jeremiah Lowder, as Dickon is likewise a strong characterization, though his "Yorkshire" accent had more of a Dublin sound than Yorkshire (several characters seemed to have similar accent problems).

Kyle Cherry does well in the small role of Colin.

There are 18 different scenes in this show, each of which takes place in a different location--a sitting room, a ballroom, Archibald's library, Colin's room, a room in Paris, etc., and little was done to differentiate among the various scenes, except a piece of furniture here and there on an otherwise bare stage. The lack of funding to provide a more elaborate set could have been handled with a bit more imaginative lighting design. The transformation of the garden from an unkempt, neglected place to a beautiful garden with flowers everywhere was one that had to be imagined, as there was little to no change in the scenery itself.

However, where the scenery is lacking, there is no such lack in the costumes. Jean Henderson has designed some lovely costumes which appropriately convey the feeling of turn of the 20th century English aristocracy.

Likewise, the caliber of singing is, for the most part, quite good. This is a difficult show musically, with few "hum-able tunes," and most of the cast is equal to the task. Isaacson has chosen well for his "Greek chorus" of spirits from the past who keep the narration of the story moving.

While not exactly a "children's show," more mature children should enjoy the story. The production should also develop a bit more spark as the actors settle into the run.

This will be DMTC's last season at the Varsity Theatre, as the company is in the throes of building a new theatre in East Davis. There will be ample opportunity during the coming season for fans of DMTC to show their support and perhaps purchase a memorial to become a permanent part of the company's new home.