Jim Munson - Page 9

While performing arts organizations around the world are dusting off existing productions of the usual chestnuts during the month of December, Opera San José is taking a more audacious approach with its holiday programming. They are presenting a new, fully-staged production of Jake Heggie’s immensely moving chamber opera, Three Decembers, featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano Susan Graham in the central role, alongside celebrated Opera San José Resident Artists soprano Maya Kherani and baritone Efraín Solís. Based on the unpublished play Some Christmas Letters by Tony-winning playwright Terrance McNally, Three Decembers follows the story of a famous actress, Madeline Mitchell, and her two adult children, Beatrice and Charlie over three decades (1986, 1996, and 2006). With a witty and touching libretto by Gene Scheer and a soaring musical score by Jake Heggie, Three Decembers is a 90-minute fullhearted American opera about family – the ones we are born into and those we create. The world-class digital production is offered via on-demand streaming through December 31, 2020. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit operasj.org or call (408) 437-4450. BroadwayWorld speaks with charismatic baritone Efraín Solís, who plays son Charlie.

If your spirits could use an extra little lift, and frankly whose couldn’t these days(?!), San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker Online may be just the tonic you need. In this most unsettling of holiday seasons when so many of us are feeling a bit unmoored and longing in vain for the festivities of years gone by, it is like a breath of fresh air to be able to reconnect with a cherished holiday tradition and perhaps even experience it in a new way. While in-person performances remain on hold, San Francisco Ballet (SFB) has made its Nutcracker Online available for streaming through December 31st. The presentation consists largely of a beautifully-produced video of its popular annual production from 2007, plus some added bells and whistles to make the experience more interactive and appeal to a wide variety of ages and differing levels of knowledge of classical ballet. Kids of all ages can enjoy learning some of the dance moves, and many folks may be surprised to learn about SFB’s extensive history with this ballet, dating all the way back to Christmas Eve 1944 when SFB presented the first full-length Nutcracker ever performed in the U.S.

If you've attended theater in the Bay Area with any degree of regularity over the past few decades, chances are you've seen actress Lorri Holt - a lot! Since the 1980's, Holt has become a veritable local treasure, performing with theater companies large and small across the Bay Area, creating roles in scores of new plays along the way. Among many career highlights, she was part of the fabled Eureka Theatre Company that commissioned Tony Kushner to write Angels in America where Holt originated the role of Harper Pitt. Holt's latest performance, in Who Killed Sylvia Plath? by award-winning playwright Lynne Kaufman, is enjoying a virtual return engagement on MarshStream November 28th and 29th after winning the award for Best Full Length at the recent MarshStream International Solo Fest. The play had premiered at The Marsh in 2019 before being adapted into a virtual offering for Solo Fest. For further details on the livestream, visit the MarshStream website. BroadwayWorld speaks with Holt from her home in Nevada City, California where she relocated just prior to the Covid pandemic.

It's hard to believe, but the ever-youthful, trailblazing actor/writer/comedian Marga Gomez is now well into the fourth decade of her remarkable career. Known for her funny and touching solo theater pieces as well as her uproarious standup comedy, Gomez recently revived her hit play Not Getting Any Younger for the MarshStream International Solo Fest where it won the award for Best Solo Show. In the play, Gomez weaves commentary through hilarious surreal life vignettes like little Marga visiting the worst amusement park ever with her showgirl mom in tow, and adult Marga trying to get a senior discount at Forever 21. In a swift 55 minutes, Gomez looks back on how even an outspoken lesbian can find herself in the closet for women of a certain age. Luckily for viewers everywhere, Gomez is now reprising the show for two more livestreamed performances on December 5th and 6th. Additional details can be found on the MarshStream website. BroadwayWorld recently chatted by phone with Gomez from her home in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco. Our conversation delved into how she adapted Not Getting Any Younger for virtual performance, her experience as one of the first successful, out lesbian comedians, and her colorful family history in the Latino variety show world. Offstage, she is much as you would expect - naturally warm, funny and down-to-earth - but also surprisingly nerdy about the careful technique that goes into making a successful virtual performance.

Virtuoso pianist Hershey Felder has just the thing for our travel-starved souls. On Sunday, November 22nd, he will livestream a performance of Hershey Felder as Claude Debussy in A PARIS LOVE STORY, transporting audiences to Paris without needing to leave home. This musical tour de force take us to many of Paris’s most-loved sites in a personal journey through the life and music of Impressionist composer Claude Debussy, who created music of ravishing beauty, color, and compassion, from the sweeping La Mer to the evocative Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, and the mystical “Clair de lune,” ultimately shaping a whole new world of color in sound. Felder will perform the show live on Sunday, November 22 (5pm PST/8pm EST) from a rich, filmic setting in Europe that provides audiences a front-row view of the hit show. Tickets and additional information are available at HersheyFelderLive.com. BroadwayWorld recently spoke with Felder from his home in Florence, Italy while he was in the midst of preparations for the livestream.

The name Ariel Craft evokes an improbable combination of magic and skill, whimsy and rigor. If that weren't already her real name, I honestly don't think you could invent a more apt moniker for the director of Charles L. Mee's Utopia now enjoying a virtual world premiere from San Francisco's Cutting Ball Theater. After all, it takes a person of uncommon prowess and boundless creativity to bring this kind of unorthodox play to life. Utopia is a quirky, multidisciplinary work incorporating contemporary dance and animated artworks by disabled artists to offer a delightful commentary on life, love and the absurdity of the everyday. Utopia is available for streaming on demand through November 15th. For further information or to order tickets visit cuttingball.com or call (415) 525-1205. BroadwayWorld caught up with Craft from her home in Berkeley while she was in the thick of rehearsals for Utopia.

San Francisco’s Cutting Ball Theatre has scored quite a coup in presenting the world premiere of Utopia, the latest work from Obie-winning playwright Charles L. Mee, available for streaming from October 16th through November 15th. Directed by Ariel craft, who is also Cutting Ball’s Artistic Director, the play is a multidisciplinary fantasia that explores the question “How do you make a life?” Cutting Ball is partnering on the production with RAWdance contemporary dance company, and Creativity Explored which supports artists with developmental disabilities, to create a work that harmonizes theater, dance and animation in a genre-defying dreamscape.  Audiences can stream from home from October 16th through November 15th. Additional details can be found at www.CuttingBall.com. BroadwayWorld chats with Mee from his home in New York City.

Under Artistic Director Tim Bonda??s leadership, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has just launched an ambitious new online initiative entitled Voices of Democracy, with the intention of encouraging audiences to get out the vote and stand up for racial justice. Leading up to the 2020 election, Voices of Democracy offers digital theatrical experiences that celebrate diverse voices and build a bridge from empathy to action, including plays, poetry, and curated quotes that shine a light on pressing issues during this election year. It will also feature an interview with Tony Award winner & TheatreWorks alum James Monroe Iglehart (Broadwaya??s Aladdin and Hamilton). BroadwayWorld recently caught up with Tim Bond to learn more about Voices of Democracy and his own history before coming to TheatreWorks. Bond is a fascinating guy to talk to so our conversation took all kinds of interesting twists and turns. A true people person, he is especially committed to using theater to build community and effect change. In conversation, he often takes his time to respond to questions and is apt to speak in complex sentences that show a great deal of thought. He is not someone who needs to shout to make his voice heard and frequently leavens his responses with gentle laughter. At once brainy and comfortable expressing his emotions, Bond is clearly a person of heart and mind.

On October 7-11, an astounding array of 56 performers from Scotland, Canada, Russia, and across the United States are (virtually) coming together to take part in The Marsha??s MarshStream International Solo Fest. Acclaimed as the San Francisco Bay Areaa??s a?oebreeding ground for new performance,a?? The Marsh is thrilled to present a wide-ranging festival line-up that includes an internationally renowned Russian stand-up comedian, musicals, a traditional Indian dance piece, clowning, and much more. As added enticement, with the Vice Presidential Debate happening right before the festival kicks off, the October 7th opening will also include a post-debate discussion with The Marsha??s astute comedian/performers Don Reed and Maureen Langan weighing in about the debate. Further details can be found at www.themarsh.org. BroadwayWorld caught up recently with The Marsha??s Artistic Executive Director/Founder Stephanie Weisman, calling in from the Trinity Alps where shea??s been sheltering away from the Bay Area, and Festival Director Maggie Wilson from her home base in Brooklyn.

42nd Street Moon, San Franciscoa??s venerable theatre company dedicated to celebrating and preserving the art of the American musical, is about to launch a paid virtual subscription series called MoonBeams. Consisting of five very different and highly entertaining shows, the series will run from September 28th to November 26th, 2020. Highlights include Michael Patrick Gaffneya??s funny and touching The Oldest Living Cater Waiter, Moona??s popular Broadway Flipped evening where favorite Moon performers get the chance to sing songs from roles they would otherwise never get the chance to play, and a final show to kick off the holiday season, Home (literally) for the Holidays. Subscriptions, single stream tickets and additional information are available at www.42ndstmoon.org/moonbeams. BroadwayWorld catches up with Daniel Thomas, who shares Executive Director duties at Moon with Daren A.C. Carollo, to learn a more about the series and check in on how he and Moon are weathering the myriad difficulties that seem to be hitting us without end in 2020.

The best part of my job as a theater writer is that I get to speak with fascinating people, and they dona??t come more fascinating than actor and Paralympic athlete Katy Sullivan, who plays the titular role in TheatreWorks Silicon Valleya??s benefit online workshop reading of Pandora. This intriguing new work by acclaimed playwright Laurel Ollstein investigates the Pandoraa??s box myth, delving into the world-changing curiosity and hope resulting from one womana??s fateful actions. The streamed performance features a stellar cast of actors assembled from across the country and was recorded over Zoom under the direction of TheatreWorks Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli. Pandora will be offered via video streaming from 6pm (PDT), Thursday, September 24, 2020 until 6pm (PDT), Monday, September 28, 2020. Viewers can sign up to receive a link to view Pandora at TheatreWorks.org without charge, although donations are encouraged to support TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. For additional information, visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

Ah, just when we need it the most, here is the perfect tonic for our troubled times! The Marsh is bringing back comedic legend Geoff Hoyle in his latest work 'What Will I Be When You Grow Up?' Presented for one night only on Saturday, March 20th at 7:00PM PDT, this filmic version of Hoyle's show will be followed by a live post-performance Q&A with The Marsh Founder/Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman. Visit The www.themarsh.org for more information. Born and raised in England before coming to America in the 1970a??s, Hoyle has had a fascinating career and at this point has become a veritable Bay Area institution. After first coming to local attention as part of the Pickle Family Circus, he went on to perform with Cirque du Soleil, create the role of Zazu in the original Broadway company of The Lion King, act in plays at virtually all the major Bay Area theater companies, and create numerous solo shows, many of them at The Marsh. BroadwayWorld recently caught up with Hoyle by phone from his home in Inverness, California.

As the San Francisco Bay Area reaches six months of sheltering-in-place, the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for mental health have become more prevalent than ever. In response, The Marsh is bringing back virtual LIVE performances (with post-event discussions) of Brian Copelanda??s captivating drama a?oeThe Waiting Period.a?? This deeply moving and surprisingly funny work that outlines his own struggles with depression and suicidal thought has been shown to literally save lives. The first performance will be Saturday, September 5th at 7:30pm PDT, with 5 subsequent performances on alternate Sundays at 5:00pm from September 13th through November 8th. All performances are offered free of charge. Please visit The Marsh website for additional information. As people around the world continue to navigate the potential health and financial impacts of the ongoing pandemic, Copeland knew that offering performances of a?oeThe Waiting Perioda?? would provide a safe space and support system for those in need during these trying times. BroadwayWorld had the pleasure of speaking with Copeland twice in recent months about the show and his long, fascinating career. In two decades as a successful standup comedian, he opened for musical icons such as Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin. He has also hosted popular, long-running talk shows on KGO radio and TV. He is perhaps best known as creator and star of numerous of solo shows, including a?oeNot a Genuine Black Mana?? which he developed at The Marsh and remains the longest-running solo show in Bay Area history.

In celebration of Womena??s Equality Day and the Centennial of the 19th Amendment, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and The Womana??s Club of Palo Alto will present a virtual performance of excerpts and songs from the dynamic musical Perfect 36, with lyrics and book by Laura Harrington, music by Mel Marvin, and direction by Mac Pirkle. Set in 1920, Perfect 36 honors the indomitable spirit of the suffragettes as they battle to secure a 36-state majority to ratify the 19th Amendment. The online event will take place at 5:30pm PDT on Wednesday, August 26th. Giovanna Sardelli, TheatreWorksa?? Artistic Associate and Director of New Works, will host the event and engage in a conversation with Laura Harrington, the showa??s book writer and lyricist. A link to stream the show will be available at TheatreWorks.org for no charge, although donations are encouraged to support TheatreWorks and The Womana??s Club of Palo Alto. BroadwayWorld recently spoke with Giovanna Sardelli from her hometown of Las Vegas where shea??s been sheltering in place with family until she can safely return to her actual home base in New York City. In addition to her role at TheatreWorks, Sardelli is enjoying quite a remarkable career as a director at theaters across the U.S., and has built a track record of developing close working relationships with notable playwrights such as Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph and Olivier Award winner Matthew Lopez. Talking to Sardelli, ita??s clear why she is so constantly in demand. She is naturally engaging, inherently upbeat without being saccharine, and passionate about expanding the possibilities of theater. Her excitement about the chance to work closely with TheatreWorksa?? new Artistic Director Tim Bond to tackle new challenges is palpable.

Emmy and Sundance Film Festival Award-winning writer and director Jacob Kornbluth will chat with Stephanie Weisman, Founder/Artistic Director of the Marsh this Thursday August 20th at 7:30pm PDT as part of the ongoing a?oeStephaniea??s MarshStreama?? series. Kornbluth will discuss his entertaining and informative new animated series, a?oeTalk Boring to Me,a?? created in collaboration with sociopolitical comedian W. Kamau Bell, host and executive producer of CNNa??s Emmy-winning docu-series a?oeUnited Shades of America.a?? In light of current social issues facing the U.S., Bell and Kornbluth teamed up to make a?oeTalk Boring to Me,a?? which examines topics such as the gig economy, asylum and homelessness in short videos that capture Bella??s trademark humor intertwined with teachable moments. While Kornblutha??s recent work has focused mainly on film and video, he is perhaps equally well-known for his theater work, including collaborating on and directing three successful solo shows in San Francisco (The Moisture Seekers, Pumping Copy, Face by the Door). BroadwayWorld caught up with Kornbluth recently to talk about the genesis for the series and his history with The Marsh. In conversation, he is much like his new series a?" plainly smart and thoughtful, easily approachable, and prone to find cheeky humor in even the most serious of subjects. Speaking with him leaves you feeling better informed and somehow more hopeful, even as he himself would never claim to have all the answers.

We Stand Together, a one-night virtual benefit in support of justice for Black lives, will premiere at 7:00pm PDT on Thursday, July 23rd on both Youtube and Facebook. It will include appearances by Sheila E., Mahershala Ali, Misty Copeland, Ledisi and a host of other top artists, activists and community figures. While event is free of charge, donations are encouraged. Funds raised will benefit three organizations: Elevate Oakland, YR Media and Black Lives Matter Global Network [Arts & Culture]. For additional information, please visit www.elevateoakland.org/standtogether. BroadwayWorld spoke recently with Sheila E. while she was in the midst of final preparations for the event.

Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba and Tony Award nominee Patrick Page head the dynamic cast of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's benefit online reading of Shakespeare in Vegas, a rollicking comedy by Suzanne Bradbeer. Presented by TheatreWorks' New Works from Home program in partnership with Vegas Theatre Company, this fizzy comedy features the unlikely pairing of a Vegas impresario with a dream and a despondent New York actor who join forces to bring the Bard of Avon to Sin City. Directed by Las Vegas native and TheatreWorks' Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli, Shakespeare in Vegas will be offered via video streaming from Thursday, July 23rd at 6PM (PT) until Monday, July 27th at 6PM (PT). A link to stream the show will be available at TheatreWorks.org for no charge, although donations are encouraged to support the 2019 Regional Theatre Tony-winning TheatreWorks Silicon ValleyBroadwayWorld recently caught up with Karen Ziemba from her home in New York. Her remarkable career includes 11 Broadways shows, countless Off-Broadway and regional theater appearances, and a few national tours for good measure.

What better way to spend a summer evening than in the company of artistic genius in the form of iconic composer Ludwig van Beethoven as interpreted by renowned musical theater artist Hershey Felder? On Sunday July 12th at 5pm PDT, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will present a livestream of the hit show Hershey Felder: Beethoven, an intimate and theatrical portrait of the legendary composer. Tickets to the livestream are available on TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's website (www.theatreworks.org) with proceeds to benefit TheatreWorks while the Tony-winning regional theatre remains dark due to the Covid pandemic. Inspired by an account of a Viennese doctor who spent his boyhood by the Beethoven's side, this enchanting musical features masterful performances of some of the composer's greatest works, from a?oeMoonlight Sonataa?? to the a?oeNinth Symphonya?? and the a?oeEmperor Concerto.a?? The enormously popular show's 2017 World Premiere still holds TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's box office record to date. BroadwayWorld recently had the pleasure of speaking with Felder from his home in Florence, Italy where he will be performing the livestream. As cicadas whirred in the background (really!), we had a wide-ranging discussion about Beethoven, Felder's relationship with TheatreWorks, the pandemic and the wonders of Florence. In conversation, Felder is an engaging amalgam of seemingly contradictory qualities, at once erudite and folksy, brainy and empathetic, quick with an arcane cultural factoid or a self-deprecating remark, equally expressive of joy and sorrow.

It is time for Robert Kelley to take a richly-deserved curtain call. June 30th will be his last day as Artistic Director of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley after a mind-blowing 50 years in that role. It is not hyperbole to state there isn't another individual who has had a more profound influence on the Bay Area theatre landscape. Kelley founded TheatreWorks as a scrappy, community theater company in April, 1970 and guided its transformation over the years into a Tony-winning powerhouse and nationally-recognized incubator of new works. BroadwayWorld had the pleasure of speaking with Kelley earlier this spring to discuss his half-century history with TheatreWorks.

More than 30 Bay Area theatres are joining forces to present a reading on Juneteenth, encouraging donations to support a bold Go Fund Me Campaign that aims to fundraise one million dollars for Black theatre projects in America. Spearheaded by PlayGround, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, and Planet Earth Arts, these Bay Area theatres (including TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Berkeley Rep, A.C.T, Cal Shakes, and many more) are co-presenting a livestreamed Zoom reading of Vincent Terrell Durham's Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids at 7pm PT on June 19 as part of the Juneteenth Theatre Justice Project, a national theatre movement to produce this reading of Durham's play to commemorate anniversary of the freeing of enslaved Black people. BroadwayWorld spoke with Aldo Billingslea, the longstanding pillar of the Bay Area theatre community who is producing the livestream and also leads the Juneteenth Theatre Justice Project. Billingslea is well-loved throughout the Bay Area as a man of many talents, including actor, professor, producer, collaborator and mentor.