THEATRE REVIEWS: "Jekyll & Hyde" at Broadway SD and "The Exit Interview" at San Diego REP

Wild vs. Wacky

By Donnie Matsuda

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing two very unconventional pieces of theatre.  One was a wild ride and the other was a wacky one.  Here are my reviews of the Broadway-bound premiere of “Jekyll and Hyde” at Broadway San Diego and the rolling premiere of “The Exit Interview” at San Diego REP.

“Jekyll & Hyde” a Wild Ride

He’s a tough one to like, that Dr. Jekyll. So is his evil alter ego, Edward Hyde.

The same can be said for the new Broadway-bound musical that unites the two prickly personalities under one title.  The Nederlander-produced “Jekyll and Hyde,” which kicked off its multi-city tour here in San Diego before it ends up on the Great White Way in 2013, definitely has its mood swings.  At times, it can be thrilling and electrifying with its soaring anthems and incredible voices, thanks largely to the devilish machinations of Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis and the raspy, earthy tones of Grammy-nominated R&B Superstar Deborah Cox.  But then, the whole thing kind of derails in parts when the propulsive (though mostly unmemorable) new Frank Wildhorn score achieves ear-shattering levels and the ensemble cast screams through incomprehensible lyrics, all the while larger-than-life projections of fire engulf the stage.  It is those moments that are the hardest to bear, and one can only wonder what purpose they are to serve here.  Perhaps they are intended to add an edgy, rock-concert vibe to the proceedings, or perhaps they are meant to add more melodrama to an already overly self-indulgent spectacle.  Or perhaps they are just experimental filler. 

Regardless, there are still some redeeming elements in this breakthrough revival, which itself is quite different than the original 1990 concept album (featuring Colm Wilkinson and Linda Eder) and the original Broadway production (which played the Plymouth Theatre from 1997-2001, featuring Robert Cuccioli and Linda Eder).  The story, which is supposed to be based on the acclaimed Robert Louis Stevenson novella about a London doctor who accidentally unleashes his evil alternate persona while trying to cure his father’s illness, has shifted focus here.  Now, the plot features the five members of the Board of Directors at a London hospital: a snide bishop (David Benoit), a foolish general (Aaron Ramey), a righteous Lord (Brian Gallagher), a clueless Lady (Blair Ross), and a Sir (Mel Johnson, Jr.).  As we see them pompously perched on their thrones evenly spaced across the stage proscenium – some evocative staging by Broadway director and Old Globe favorite Jeff Calhoun – there’s an almost palpable sense of revenge bubbling in the “good” doctor’s veins as his proposal to use a new serum on human subjects is flatly denied. 

Deborah Cox and Constantine Maroulis in "Jekyll & Hyde."  Courtesy of Broadway SD.

Instead, the “good” doctor takes matters into his own hands (or is it veins?) as he returns to his laboratory and hooks himself up to some uber-cool, color-changing tubes filled with enough of a mysterious bubbly potion to completely alter his entire sense of self.  The spectacles come off, the hair grows long and unruly, and the murder-hungry Hyde emerges ready to seek revenge.  It is only a matter of a few bloody minutes - in a heart-pounding Act 2 opener - before we see the same Board of Directors get disposed of one by one, eventually perched up on their deathbeds in place of their thrones.  Fortunately, that’s not all there is to the story (or else it would make for a very short second act!).  There’s a much-needed second plotline that involves Jekyll’s soon to be wife, a pure-as-snow Emma Carew (a gloriously voiced Teal Wicks) and the other woman in the doctor’s life, his lustful prostitute Lucy (a gritty Deborah Cox).  While this intriguing love triangle ends up going nowhere very quickly, it at least provides for some of the show’s best songs: a soaring “This is the Moment” in Act 1 and a stirring “In His Eyes” in Act 2.

Much of the show’s edgy steampunk vibe is sharply enhanced by its technical wizardry.  Kudos to scenic designer Tobin Ost who works wonders constructing a dark, barren, and hazy feel to the proceedings, with massive cinematic set pieces all framed by a moving proscenium arch outlined in bold neon lights.  Ost also provides some exquisite high-society get-ups that are appropriate for 19th century London and his entire design scheme is eerily lit by Jeff Croiter’s lights and set in motion by Daniel Brodie’s splashy projections. Sound designer Ken Travis keeps it all surprisingly well balanced, though there are times that the shrill-sounding 11-piece orchestra clashes with the screaming and screechy voices to effect a few “nails on a chalkboard” moments.  

So, much like its dually conflicted title character, there are both “good” and “bad” elements of this “Jekyll & Hyde.”  With explosive voices, over-the-top characters, and dynamic staging, it is probably best to just surrender to this overdone, self-indulgent spectacle and enjoy its dark and wild side.

“The Exit Interview” a Wacky Ride

What do you get when you mix together a couple of socially and politically savvy cheerleaders, a slick Fox News reporter with a penchant for too much makeup, a well-meaning but smug HR director grappling with the age old question of “why, God, why?”, two German mothers engaged in endless “small talk,” an oboe-obsessed ex-girlfriend with a fanatical right-wing mother, a product-placement pushing priest, and an agnostic university professor who specializes in the works of Bertolt Brecht? 

Well, in the opinion of those of us who see plays for their logical progression and thoughtful/insightful exploration of ideas via well-timed thematic arcs, the short answer would be a total theatrical mess.  But in the case of “The Exit Interview,” William Missouri Down’s satirical examination of faith and fate in the 21st century, things don’t come off as terribly disorganized as they sound.  Okay, perhaps they do, but that’s part of the point here.   You see, Down’s takes a Brechtian approach to his storytelling, allowing for a number of dramatic turns in which he (shown via video feed riding his horse or working in his “office” smack dab in the middle of a forest somewhere in the Midwest) stops the show and changes the script as it is being performed, frequently inserting totally random scenes in Brecht’s native Germanic tongue.  And, in order to fully expose the process rather than the product, Downs ensures that the stagehands are always visible and that they enact intentionally clumsy and abrupt scene changes.  Lucky for us, in case we need any help with this Brechtian break away from “realism,” we have an expert in the field, fictional college professor Dick Fig (an easygoing Herbert Siguenza) whose exit interview with HR director Eunice (a hare-brained Linda Libby) tries to provide some thematic continuity to the entire piece.

The Cast of "The Exit Interview."  Courtesy SD REP.

It all comes together as a wacky series of Saturday Night Live comedy sketches, thanks to the (mostly) funny material and absurd characters provided by Downs, the spitfire direction by REP Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse, and the ace cast of six actors who seamlessly morph into a number of kooky supporting characters that keep the comedic charade going.  Particularly impressive are JoAnne Glover and Lisel Gorell-Getz who work their pom-poms while cheering about existential angst; Fran Gercke as a parish priest who pushes the divine enjoyment of Diet Coke while, well, it is not quite clear what his role in the show is; and Nick Cagle as a preening Fox News reporter who is only concerned about his image…and about pushing his right-wing agenda.

Without a doubt, you will leave the theatre scratching your head and wondering “what does it all mean?”  And that’s the point of this world premiere piece, which is the second of five “rolling” premieres which are occurring all over the U.S. under the auspices of the National New Play Network.  In true Brechtian fashion, it’s not about the messy process of the play itself: it’s about the meaningful discussions about religion, sex, and politics that it engenders on the car ride home.

So, gather your most liberal and intellectual of friends and get ready to take in all the craziness!

Things to know before you go: Jekyll & Hyde presented by Broadway San Diego played at The San Diego Civic Theatre at 3rd and B Street from October 2 – 7, 2012.  Running time was 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 20 minute intermission.  Ticket prices vary.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit TicketMaster.com, call (888) 937-8995, or visit www.BroadwaySD.com.

Things to know before you go: The Exit Interview presented by San Diego REP plays in the Lyceum Space at Lyceum Theatre through October 21, 2012.  Running time is 2 hours 20 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

THEATRE REVIEW: "Zoot Suit" at San Diego REP

San Diego REP Boasts a Colorful and Vibrant “Suit”:

Professional actors team up with students at The San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts to bring “Zoot Suit” back in a splashy (if a bit scattered) revival

By Donnie Matsuda

Raul Cardona as El Pachuco.  Photo credit: Daren Scott.

There’s a lot going on in San Diego REP’s 37^th Season opener, Zoot Suit.  

First, there’s the concept of the “zoot suit” as an iconic means of dress and the uniform of choice for Chicano gangs on the streets of Los Angeles in the early 1940s.  The colorful and outrageously patterned long jackets, high-waisted and tightly belted pants, and short ties - all with snazzy fedoras to match - are nicely re-created here by costume designer Mary Larson.   

L-R Alex Monge as Cub Reporter, Herbert Siguenza as The Press, Joanne Glover as Alice Bloomfield.  Photo credit: Daren Scott.

Then, there’s the specific story of the “Zoot Suiters” – a gang of twenty-one Mexican American men who were tried and wrongly accused of killing a young Chicano boy in the infamous Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial of 1942.  Here, their story is told through the play’s central character, Henry Rayna (a compelling Lakin Valdez, former artistic director of El Teatro Campesino) and three featured men in his gang: Smiley Torres (Spencer Smith), Joey Castro (Steven Lone), and Tommy Roberts (Kevin Koppman-Gue).  

There are also some overarching thematic digs at the sensationalized yet sympathetic nature of the media from a flashbulb happy reporter named Press (an engaging Herbert Siguenza) and a passionate journalist named Alice Bloomfield (a smart and savvy Jo Anne Glover) who becomes one of Henry’s most ardent supporters both during and after the trial.  And, of course, the play makes a mockery of our American justice system in a few scenes that expose the circus-like atmosphere, sleazy no-good lawyers, and ultimate injustice that are all too common in courtrooms across our country.  All of this plays out amidst the backdrop of World War II, as the war in the Pacific rages on and young people are dancing up a storm (thanks to the frantic and frenzied stylings of choreographer Javier Velasco) amid the big band beat of Latin jazz (delivered with plenty of pizzazz from music director Bill Doyle and his nine-piece onstage band).  

L-R Parnia Ayari as Bertha Villareal and Steven Lone as Joey Castro.  Photo credit: Daren Scott.

With so much going on, and so little of it grounded in any sort of narrative framework, it is a miracle that director Kirsten Brandt is able to make any sense of the madness that is Zoot Suit.  An explosion of powerful thematic arcs, a random mish-mash of roustabout characters, propulsive and electrifying fantasy sequences interwoven with dance interludes, and a bunch of slick technical wizardry (splashy sets, evocative lighting, and vibrant projections designed by Brandt’s husband, David Lee Cuthbert) all seems like it might be too much for one production to handle.  But, somehow Brandt is able to work her magic here and she does what she can to organize and stage it all so that the nearly three hour production powers through with plenty of style and plenty of sass.  

The Company of "Zoot Suit."  Photo credit: Daren Scott.

In the end, what we’re left with at the end of this scattered and somewhat schizophrenic journey (which jarringly shifts back and forth between staid book scenes and bursting-at-the-seams exuberant dance breaks that come out of nowhere) is the look and feel of that mystical figure of “El Pachuco,” personified to perfection by Raul Cardona, as he struts downstage with his head up, his lips smugly pursed, and his hands in his pockets, saying nary a word but saying so much about the suave, slick air that characterized an entire subgroup of Latinos in America. 

Things to know before you go: ZOOT SUIT presented by San Diego REP plays on the Lyceum Stage at Lyceum Theatre through August 12, 2012.  Running time is 2 hours 50 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.  Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm; performances are also scheduled on selected Saturdays at 2pm and selected Sundays, Tuesday, and Wednesdays at 7pm.  Ticket prices are $31-$57 with discounts available for groups, seniors, and military.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

THEATRE REVIEW: "Tortilla Curtain" at San Diego REP

"Curtain"s and Walls

San Diego REP’s world premiere play pits the privileged against the immigrant poor in a lightweight look at illegal immigration

By Donnie Matsuda

There’s a wall that features prominently in the second half of Tortilla Curtain, the world premiere play by Matthew Spangler currently being staged as the sixth and final production of San Diego REP’s 36th season. It’s a wall that the affluent hilltop communities of Topanga Canyon, which includes nature writer and staunch environmentalist Delaney Mossbacher and his real estate mogul wife, want erected around their glorious mansions to keep their lives protected from “the outsiders” – whether they be vicious dog-eating coyotes or rabble-rousing illegal immigrants from Mexico.

And it’s an interesting metaphor, that wall, in that it speaks to our natural human instinct to build up barriers around us in an attempt to more clearly define an “us” vs. “them.” In fact, the title of Spangler’s play refers to one of the most hotly debated and politically charged walls that exist in our country today: the U.S./Mexico border. But, while this polished and peculiar play, a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays award, attempts to tackle some heavy-hitting and socially relevant themes, it ends up taking a mostly lightweight and shallow stab at this potentially impactful issue.

Kinan Valdez and Vivia Font. Photo by Daren Scott.

The play’s premise starts out interestingly enough, with Delaney’s world colliding head on with that of undocumented immigrant Cándido Rincón on the narrow, windy roads of Topanga Canyon. As Delaney’s white Lexus plows into Cándido himself and leaves him badly injured (but unable to seek medical attention for fear of being deported), the two men’s lives are forever altered as we watch the fallout from this fateful accident unfold in two very different households: the upper-middle class mansion of Delaney and his breadwinner wife Kyra at Arroyo Blanco (a gated community where all the houses have immaculate orange tile roofs and are painted in different shades of white) and the dark ravine at the bottom of the canyon where Cándido and his wife América have set up a makeshift abode while they desperately search for work scrubbing statues and laying bricks. It’s a stark contrast as we shift back and forth between the day-to-day lives of these two distinct couples, but beyond the interesting comparison of two distinctly different American ways of life, it’s hard to figure out exactly what playwright Spangler (who adapted his play from the best-selling novel by T.C. Boyle) is trying to say with this oddly playful piece of work.

Perhaps part of the problem here is that the play doesn’t really know when to take itself seriously and when to tastefully slip into satire. Instead, it ends up being a mash-up of a number of things both humorous and heartbreaking, as the playwright has thrown in just about everything (including the kitchen sink). From waxing poetic about chasing the ever-elusive American Dream, to a fully choreographed music video dance number a la Jennifer Lopez, to highly stylized rape and fight sequences, to a Thanksgiving dinner that causes the entire canyon to go up in flames, this play unabashedly takes the meaning of “randomness” to a whole new level. And just like the fantastical and far-fetched American dream that Cándido chases, Tortilla Curtain hovers about without a clear direction, teasing and taunting with its glimmers of hope and flashes of brilliance.

Mike Sears. Photo by Daren Scott.

Despite lacking a cohesive core, San Diego REP’s production boasts some incredibly fine performances from its first-rate cast. Mike Sears is ideal as the clean-cut, tree-hugging intellectual Delaney and Kinan Valdez is every bit his equal as the tireless and passionate Mexican immigrant Cándido. These two men bring their own idiosyncrasies to their roles and manage to carve out some finely nuanced characters that are both captivating and compelling. Vivia Font is truly a vision as beautiful América and she acts with an earnestness that is at times breathtaking and at times exhilarating. And in the supporting role of Kyra, Lisel Gorell-Getz is appropriately curt and clueless as the successful real estate broker with nothing but money on her mind.

The ensemble cast is also strong and they tackle their many cameo roles with gravitas and gusto. They include Miles Gaston Villanueva as José Navidad, David Meyers as Jack Jardine Sr., and Jeremy Kahn as Jack Jardine Jr.

Chandra Athenill, Vivia Font, and Lisel Gorell-Getz. Photo by Daren Scott.

San Diego REP’s artistic director Sam Woodhouse gives his spry staging a playful feel that works well with the haphazard nature of the piece. It’s definitely a tall order, but Woodhouse works wonders wrangling all the disparate elements of this quirky play into a cohesive and presentable whole. And his sprawling vision goes hand in hand with Ericka Moore’s blazing choreography and James Newcomb’s feisty fight sequences. Together, their efforts are greatly aided by a stellar design team, which includes an earthy and textured canyon-side set by Ian Wallace, some 1990’s era-appropriate costumes by Valerie Henderson, and some contemporary musical interludes composed by Bruno Louchouarn.

Overall, if the goal of Tortilla Curtain is to serve as an earth-shattering, though-provoking piece of theatre, it falls short of the mark. However, if its goal is to serve as a stylized period piece that seeks to bring the issue of illegal immigration to the forefront of our collective consciousness as Americans, then it definitely does that.

And, perhaps by doing so, we can all examine the walls we’ve built up around ourselves and see if one day we can finally learn enough to break free.

Things to know before you go: Tortilla Curtain presented by San Diego REP plays on the Lyceum Stage at Lyceum Theatre through April 8, 2012. Running time is 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm; performances are also scheduled on selected Saturdays at 2pm and selected Sundays, Tuesday, and Wednesdays at 7pm. Ticket prices are $32-$51 with discounts available for groups, seniors, and military. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

TIS THE SEASON FOR SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS: PART TWO OF FOUR

"Our curiosity about the changing world we live in provokes us to look hard and deep for those plays that take us to places we have never been and look at the world through eyes that are not our own.”

-Sam Woodhouse, Artistic Director, SD REP

It is with that philosophy that San Diego REP has approached its ambitious 37^th season, which showcases theatrical events that are about the quest of Americans to become their best selves, both individually and together. Full of music, dance, storytelling and spectacle, the REP’s 2012-2013 season includes the following seven extraordinary productions:

“Zoot Suit”

By Luis Valdez

Directed by Kirsten Brandt

Choreography by Javier Velasco

Musical Direction by Bill Doyle

July 14 – Aug. 12, 2012

San Diego REP is proud to open it’s 37^th season with a brand new production of the most significant work of Latino drama in American theatre. “Zoot Suit” will be produced through the same partnership between San Diego REP and San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts that made “Hairspray” (2010) and “The Who’s TOMMY” (2011) mega-hits on the Lyceum Stage.

It’s Los Angeles, Calif., the years 1942 to 1943. The war in the Pacific is in full gear, American big band music has young people at home dancing up a storm and the Zoot Suit is the uniform of choice for Chicano gangs on the streets of Los Angeles. One August morning a young Chicano boy is found bloody and beaten by the side of a road near a county reservoir. His death leads to the indictment of a local Chicano gang and the infamous Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial, a kangaroo court fanned by media hysteria. When the verdict is announced the Zoot Suit riots begin, and the mythical mystical figure of El Pachuco is born.

Playwright Luis Valdez is America’s greatest Latino playwright. “Zoot Suit” is his masterpiece – a muscular mix of historical fact and agitprop fiction. A live orchestra will be cookin’ center stage playing a banquet of smoking hot Latin songs with dances staged by award-winning choreographer Javier Velasco. Filled with swagger and swing, “Zoot Suit” is a not-to-be missed American classic.

(L-R): Vaughn Armstrong, Dave Crossland, and Jim Mooney in the REP's 2012 workshop of "A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing." Photo by Daren Scott.

“A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing”

World Premiere Production

Written by Todd Salovey

with Vaughn Armstrong, Dave Crossland and Jim Mooney

Directed by Todd Salovey

Musical Direction and Arrangements by Bruno Louchouarn

Nov./Dec. 2012

Back by popular demand is the production that had San Diego singing in three-part harmony and provoked standing ovations at every one of its workshop production performances. This fall, San Diego REP will present an expanded and fully developed production of last season’s runaway hit.

From the American Revolution to the Occupy movement, music has served as a powerful agent of change in American history. The immortal folk song hails: “A change is gonna come.” The gospel classic calls out: “Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!” The civil rights anthem demands: “Keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on.” Inspired by the work of Pete Seeger, “A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing” celebrates this history in song, story, and spoken word with more than 25 selections from multiple artists.

The original cast, folk recording artist Dave Crossland, “Star Trek’s” Vaughn Armstrong, and San Diego favorite Jim Mooney, will return and be joined by an additional stellar singer/musician to once again lead an entire theatre in song.

With its memorable visuals from American history, provocative wisdom from great thinkers of change, and joyous songs, this is theatre that reminds us not only that change is possible, but that right here and now, there are important things to do!

Reduced Shakespeare Company® in

“The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged)”

Written and directed by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor

Dec. 2012

After a seven year hiatus, a holiday production returns to San Diego REPertory Theatre. Christmas will never be the same once you share the holiday with the inspired lunacy of the masters of condensing the classics – the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Since 1981, the company has delighted audiences throughout North America and England with their reduced versions of “The Complete Works of Shakespeare,” the Bible, “All the Great Books,” “The History of America,” and even the “World of Sports.”

Now these brilliant clowns will take us on an irreverent, but heartwarming trip through the holidays guaranteed to step on more than a few sacred cows and mistel-toes. Once you enter St. Everybody’s Non–Denominational Universalist Church to participate in the annual Multicultural Interfaith Holiday Variety Show and Christmas Pageant you will learn how Santa saved Christmas, sing the ultimate reduced Christmas Carol, celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Saturnalia, and gasp at the shocking history of some of our best-loved Christmas traditions.

Regardless of your religious persuasion, the Reduced Shakespeare Company promises a good time gift-wrapped in a package of song, parody, an elf ballet, anachronistic dance fever disco moves, and delightfully twisted holiday cheer.

Playwright Bruce Norris. Courtesy photo.

“Clybourne Park”

By Bruce Norris

Directed by Sam Woodhouse

Jan./Feb. 2013

Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and Olivier Award for Best Play, “Clybourne Park” is an unforgettable new story about race, class, and real estate in America. Jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold in a tale told without good guys or bad guys, just real people with real concerns about the future of their community.

Act one is set in 1959 in the dream home of the Younger family in Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," where a white couple ignites controversy when they sell their bungalow to the area's first black family. Act two takes place in the same house fifty years later as a white couple who want to buy and demolish the house pose a threat to the balance of the neighborhood.

“Clybourne Park” has been called by critics and audiences both “shockingly entertaining” and “appallingly funny.” It promises to be one of the feistiest and funniest evenings of American theatre in years.

“The Mountaintop”

By Katori Hall

Mar. 2013

West Coast Premiere

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we as a people will get to the Promised Land.” King, who lived every day in the face of death, was assassinated on April 4, 1968 while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN.

Thirty-year-old playwright Katori Hall’s audacious drama dares to imagine what happened to Dr. King on the final night of his life. After delivering his inspiring “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech to a local church congregation, Dr. King retires to room 306 in the motel and orders coffee from room service. A maid arrives with the coffee. Camae looks and talks like a maid, but as the night moves forward and a storm begins to rage outside, King and the audience discover she is so much more. When Camae reveals herself the walls of the motel fly away, launching King and the audience into a fantastical and spiritual mystery tour of American history.

This imaginative and soul stirring drama premiered in London in 2009 to great acclaim, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Play. Samuel Jackson and Angela Bassett starred in the Broadway production in 2011. REP audiences will be the first to experience this astonishing play in the intimacy of the Lyceum Space, where all seats are within 25 feet of the stage!

Trumpet virtuoso Gilbert Castellanos. Courtesy photo.

“Federal Jazz Project”

Conceived and written by Richard Montoya

Music composed and curated by Gilbert Castellanos

Directed by Sam Woodhouse

April/May 2013

World Premiere Production

Jazz, like history, can never be silenced.

Born at Balboa Naval Hospital, Richard Montoya is one of California’s premier contemporary playwrights and a co-founder of the ensemble troupe Culture Clash, a favorite with REP audiences. San Diegan Gilbert Castellanos is a trumpet virtuoso, recognized as a new American master by Downbeat Magazine. Inspired by the weekly jazz sessions Castellanos has hosted for 15 years in downtown San Diego warehouses and clubs, Montoya conceived a brand new fusion of live jazz, spoken word, dance, song and story that celebrates the landscape of San Diego from 1959 to the present.

Traveling through time, the project will weave legends, myth, and testimony from the rich history of San Diego and Tijuana told thru the medium of jazz and the musicians who have made music and history on both sides of the border. Montoya, an expert storyteller, will be joined onstage by a company of actors and dancers, as well as a first-class jazz quintet led by Castellanos.

Artist Herbie Hancock said “Jazz in not exclusive. The spirit of jazz is the spirit of inclusion.” So “Federal Jazz Project” will invite special guest musicians from the community and the military to sit-in with the band, including classical guitar, tenor sax, and even improvised tap percussion.

Count on this world premiere to feature extraordinary music and unforgettable, untold stories of the musicians who have made our city such a fascinating place to call home.

A New American Play (TBA)

Our country’s playwrights are especially active and creative in 2012. At press time we are in final negotiations for the rights to a provocative and very funny new American play to complete our 2012-2013 season of seven extraordinary entertainments.

To learn more about San Diego REPertory Theatre and to purchase season tickets, visit www.sdrep.org. You can also join them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/sandiegorep) and follow them on Twitter (@SanDiegoREP).

IN THE WINGS: THEATRE NEWS FROM SD REP, La Jolla Playhouse, and Broadway SD

"Zoot Suit" in Mexico City. Photo credit: Sergio Carrion Ireta.

SD REP Kicks Off Season 37 with a Strong “Suit”

San Diego REP in partnership with San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) will open its 37^th Season with a sizzling, hip-swiveling production of “Zoot Suit.” Kirsten Brandt will direct this brand new production of Luis Valdez’s musical masterpiece set in Los Angeles, California during World War II. A live orchestra will provide the beat of some smoking Latin songs with scintillating dances staged by award-winning choreographer Javier Velasco.

SD REP produced the first professional revival of “Zoot Suit” back in 1997, where playwright Valdez was an artist in residence from 1998 to 2005. According to REP Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse, “I remember performances [during our first staging in ‘97] when the audience, many of whom were young Latinos, would not leave the theatre after the show. The experience … was so culturally profound and theatrically electric that they refused to allow the event to go gently into the San Diego night. Now, 15 years later, we are thrilled to stage a brand new production of this classic American work.”

“Zoot Suit” will play July 14-August 12 2012 on The Lyceum Stage. The rest of SD REP’s Season 37 is to be announced in the weeks ahead…

Amanda Jane Cooper and Mamie Parris in "WICKED." Photo credit: Joan Marcus.

Something “WICKED” This Way Comes…

After breaking box office records in 2006 and 2009, WICKED, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will return to the San Diego Civic Theatre from June 20 to July 15 under the auspices of Broadway/San Diego. With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz ("Godspell," "Pippin," and "Pocahontas") and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life” and “thirtysomething”), WICKED is directed by Tony-award winner Joe Mantello and features musical staging by Wayne Cilento.

Currently, there are seven productions of WICKED worldwide: New York, London, Japan, Holland, the Australia/Asia Tour, and two concurrent North American National Tours. This Summer, the untold story of the witches of Oz will cast its spell on San Diego for a three and a half week engagement. Tickets are now on sale for Broadway SD Season Subscribers and Groups, with tickets available to the general public starting Friday, April 13. Prices start at $35 and can be obtained at TicketMaster.com/wicked.

Jeremy Davidson in the Lincoln Center production of "Blood and Gifts." Photo credit: Sara Krulwich.

La Jolla Playhouse adds “Blood” and “Gifts” to its 2012/2013 Season

The Playhouse has announced another show in its 2012/2013 Season: "Blood and Gifts" by J.T. Rogers to play in the Mandell Weiss Forum from June 12-July 8, 2012. Part spy thriller, part black comedy, "Blood and Gifts" tells the story of the secret spy war behind the official Soviet-Afghan War of the 1980s. Spanning a decade and playing out in Washington DC, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, the play follows the character of CIA operative Jim Warnock and chronicles his struggles to stop the Soviet Army’s destruction of Afghanistan. According to Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, “Given the current international climate, coupled with San Diego’s military history and population, the Playhouse is the perfect place to the host the West Coast premiere of 'Blood and Gifts'.”

The rest of the Playhouse’s 2012/2013 season includes the world premiere musical "Hands on a Hardbody" (April 27-June 17), "An Iliad" (August 11-September 9), and "Glengarry Glen Ross" (September 18-October 21). The final two shows that will round out the season are yet to be announced.