Jim Munson - Page 3

Jim has been hooked on theater ever since being dazzled by a high school production of “Damn Yankees” in Wilmington, Delaware way back in 1972 featuring his older brother in a cameo role. Fortunately, his horizons have expanded just a bit since then. A recent Maui transplant after 40 years in San Francisco, Jim remains an avid theater- and dance-goer in Hawaii, the Bay Area and beyond. He loves nothing more than the 3-show days that can occasionally be scheduled in New York City. For the record, he holds a BA in Theater Arts from SUNY Buffalo, but happily learned long ago that his skills as a discerning audience member far exceed his skills as an actor.

LEARN MORE ABOUT Jim Munson

First Show:

Raisin

Favorite Show:

Angels in America: Perestroika, Broadway, New Year's Eve 1993, the cast was on fire!

Favorite Stories:

Interview: Laura Benanti at the Lesher Center for the Arts is a Golden-Age Star for Our Times - They say never meet your heroes, but Benanti was so approachable, honest and generous with her time that it felt like talking to an old friend. Among other things, we took a deep dive into her conception of the character of Eliza Doolittle, a role she'd longed to play since she was a kid. Easiest interview I've ever done, and after it was published her husband told her it was the best interview she'd ever given.
Feature: MANON at San Francisco Ballet Showed How Great Dancers Can Put Their Own Unique Imprint on the Same Story - I love dance as much as I love theater so it's always a pleasure to cover San Francisco Ballet, one of the top companies in the world. I also rarely get a chance to issue a mea culpa, and in this case I had underestimated a ballet on opening night, yet subsequent viewings revealed depths and nuances I hadn't grasped on initial exposure so I appreciated the chance to correct the record.
Interview: Khori Dastoor of THREE DECEMBERS at Opera San Jose Is Up to the Job of Making Art That Is Relevant for Our Times - I don't get to cover opera as often as theater and dance so this was the first time I got to talk to the leader of an opera company. I went in not knowing what to expect, plus it was the afternoon of election day 2020 and I was feeling very anxious about where our country was headed. I decided to fess up about that first thing and Dastoor told me she was feeling the same way and thanked me for giving her something else to think about for the next hour. We had a delightful conversation and I went away impressed with - 1) what a kind and down-to-earth person she was and 2) how incredibly smart she was. As soon as I got off the phone, I remember telling my husband, "That woman is amazing. I'm surprised a larger company hasn't already snapped her up." About a month later, she was announced as the new general manager for Houston Grand Opera.
nterview: Francis Jue of TIGER STYLE! at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Hits His Stride by Being True to Himself - I had interviewed Jue 5 years earlier and he'd been so delightful and forthcoming that I couldn't wait to talk to him again. He did not disappoint - so kind and honest, and it is a pleasure talking with theater artists who've been around long enough to know who they are in this world and no longer feel a need to play games. After the interview, I saw the play "Tiger Style" and reviewed it for BwayWorld. He was so fabulous in it that I thought to myself, "Francis is such an amazing actor. Why can't a guy like him ever win a Tony?" Bingo!
Interview: Hershey Felder of GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE at Mountain View Center For The Performing Arts Reprises the Role that First Brought Him International Acclaim - I've had the pleasure of interviewing Felder over a dozen times and I could have chosen any one of those here. He's always super interesting, coming up with interesting facts and funny stories. As the child of immigrants who grew up in Montreal, yet largely makes his career in the U.S. and has chosen to reside in Florence, Italy he's just an intrinsically fascinating guy. Plus he's super intelligent and has a mind like a steel trap so you he keeps me on my toes. I love that!

Review: VAN MANEN: DUTCH GRANDMASTER at San Francisco Ballet
April 8, 2025

What did our critic think of VAN MANEN: DUTCH GRANDMASTER at San Francisco Ballet? BroadwayWorld reviews the mix-rep program of 4 works by the celebrated choreographer running through April 19th.

Interview: Jennifer Chang of THE HEART SELLERS at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
April 2, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with director Jennifer Chang about her production of 'The Heart Sellers,' Lloyd Suh's humorous and heartwarming play running at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley April 2 to 27 in Mountain View, CA.

Interview: Devin A. Cunningham of FAT HAM at San Francisco Playhouse
March 19, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with actor Devin A. Cunningham, who is starring as Juicy in San Francisco Playhouse's production of James Ijames' Pulitzer-winning 'Fat Ham' running March 20th thru April 19th.

Interview: Pearl Ong of NIGHT DRIVER at The Marsh
March 10, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with Pearl Ong about 'Night Driver,' her solo show about leaving behind her cosseted Hong Kong childhood to drive a cab at night in wild and crazy late 70s San Francisco, running through April 5 at The Marsh.

Interview: Min Kahng of HAPPY PLEASANT VALLEY: A SENIOR SEX SCANDAL MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
February 28, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with composer Min Kahng about his cheeky new show, 'Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical' enjoying its world premiere at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley March 5-30 in Palo Alto.

Review: COOL BRITANNIA at San Francisco Ballet
February 16, 2025

What did our critic think of COOL BRITANNIA at San Francisco Ballet? BroadwayWorld reviews 'Cool Britannia' at San Francisco Ballet, a rewarding mixed rep program of contemporary ballets by British choreographers.

Feature: MANON at San Francisco Ballet Showed How Great Dancers Can Put Their Own Unique Imprint on the Same Story
February 6, 2025

BroadwayWorld compares three different pairs of leading dancers in San Francisco Ballet's recent run of Kenneth McMillan's Manon.

Interview: Robert Townsend of LIVING THE SHUFFLE at The Marsh Berkeley
January 29, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with trailblazing actor/writer/director Robert Townsend about 'Living the Shuffle,' his rollercoaster ride of a one-man show running at The Marsh Berkeley January 30th to March 9th

Review: MANON at San Francisco Ballet
January 27, 2025

The chance to see a classic full-length ballet for the first time is always a rare and welcome opportunity, so it’s especially exciting that San Francisco Ballet is kicking off its 2025 Repertory Season with Kenneth McMillan’s Manon, choreographed in 1974 and subsequently performed all over the world, but never before in San Francisco.

Interview: Keiko Green of EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY at San Francisco Playhouse
January 22, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with playwright Keiko Green about her anime-infused adventure comedy 'Exotic Deadly: Or The MSG Play' making its Northern California premiere at San Francisco Playhouse January 30 to March 8.

Interview: Hershey Felder of RACHMANINOFF AND THE TSAR at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
January 8, 2025

BroadwayWorld chats with perennially popular pianist/actor/playwright Hershey Felder about 'Rachmaninoff and the Tsar,' which he says will be his last composer play, running at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley January 10th to February 9th in Mountain View, CA.

Interview: Andrew Lippa of LIPPA @ 60: A BIRTHDAY BENEFIT FOR THEATREWORKS at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
December 11, 2024

BroadwayWorld chats with composer Andrew Lippa about 'Lippa @ 60' his one-night-only gala concert to benefit TheatreWorks Silicon Valley on December 16th

Interview: Sophie Oda of MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Comes Home for the Holidays
December 9, 2024

BroadwayWorld chats with Bay Area native Sophie Oda about her return to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley after 20 years to appear in 'Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley' playing through December 29th in Palo Alto.

Interview: Susi Damilano of WAITRESS at San Francisco Playhouse
November 22, 2024

BroadwayWorld talks with director Susi Damilano about her new production of 'Waitress,' the popular musical featuring a delightful score by Sara Bareilles, running at San Francisco Playhouse through January 18th.

Interview: Giovanna Sardelli of KING JAMES at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
October 7, 2024

BroadwayWorld talks to Giovanna Sardelli about directing the regional premiere of Rajiv Joseph's 'King James.' The funny and moving story of an enduring and emotionally fraught friendship between two very different basketball fans runs October 7th through November 1st in MountainView.

Interview: Jeffrey Lo of 21ST ANNUAL NEW WORKS FESTIVAL at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
August 12, 2024

BroadwayWorld chats with director/playwright Jeffrey Lo about producing TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's 21st Annual New Works Festival running through August 18th which offers staged readings of four exciting new plays.

Interview: Don Reed of THE DMV at The Marsh Berkeley
July 30, 2024

BroadwayWord chats with perennially popular solo performer Don Reed about his show 'The DMV' playing at The Marsh Berkeley on Saturdays through September 14th

Interview: Andrea Gordon of READING SERIES EXTRAVAGANZA at Magic Theatre
July 16, 2024

BroadwayWorld talks to Bay Area theater great Andrea Gordon about Magic Theatre's new 'Reading Series Extravaganza.' Gordon is presenting a different new play each month through December, featuring a bevy of well-known local actors. Tickets are available free of charge.

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