TIS THE SEASON FOR SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS: PART ONE OF FOUR

Apparently, it is that time of year when San Diego theatre companies that run on a pseudo-fiscal year announce their upcoming seasons. I’ll be revealing the full seasons of four theatre companies – New Village Arts, San Diego REP, La Jolla Playhouse, and North Coast REP – in four separate blogposts over the course of the next few days.

Up first is New Village Arts. Their Season 12 includes two musicals, two Pulitzer Prize winners, and three classic American plays. In addition, they are expanding their partnership with the Playwrights Project with two New Play Festivals (one in July and one in January) featuring workshop productions of new work by San Diego playwrights. Here is their full - and might I add, quite ambitious - lineup of shows:

New Play Festival

July 20-22 & 27-29, 2012

A continuing collaboration with Playwrights Project of San Diego, NVA will produce two workshop productions of new plays by San Diego artists. The New Play Festival will happen twice a year: once in the summer and once in the winter.

Much Ado About Nothing

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Ensemble Member Kristianne Kurner

Featuring Ensemble Member Justin Lang with Max Macke and Durwood Murray

August 2-5 & 9-12, 2012

Shakespeare in the Park returns to the beautiful campus of Pacific Ridge School in southeast Carlsbad. MUCH ADO is a romantic comedy and Shakespeare’s wittiest play. In this charming story, soldiers returning from war stop in to the estate of Leonato for relaxation, romance and rivalry.

"Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps." – MUCH ADO

"Next to Normal" will be lead by the husband and wife team of Manny and Melissa Fernandes (pictured above). Manny will be making his directorial debut and Melissa will be returning to NVA after her recent appearance in "Into the Woods." Photo by Pam Kragen.

Next To Normal

By Tom Kitt & Brian Yorkey

Directed by Ensemble Member Manny Fernandes

Featuring Melissa Fernandes as Diana

September 8 – September 30

Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama, this groundbreaking musical stars Melissa Fernandes as Diana, a woman struggling with bi-polar disorder. This unforgettable rock musical examines mental illness and its affect on the family.

“No show on Broadway right now makes as direct a grab for the heart — or wrings
it as thoroughly — as does this brave, breathtaking musical.” – New York Times.

Wait Until Dark

By Frederick Knott

Directed by Ensemble Member Dana Case

Featuring Ensemble Member and Actors Equity Member Daren Scott as Harry Roat

November 3 – November 25

A recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment. The woman takes charge of her fate in this classic 1960’s thriller. As the lights go out in the theatre, the audience will jump out of their seats in fear.

“made me jump ... in a theater ... in front of people. That’s not an easy feat” – The Herald Bulletin

Director of NVA's holiday musical "Plaid Tidings," Jason Heil played the role of Smudge in the Old Globe's 2010 revival. Photo by Daniel Baird.

Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings

By Stuart Ross

Directed by Jason Heil

December 8 - 24

Plaid Tidings – A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid continues the story of the singing group whose lives were lost in an accident involving a busload of teens en route to see “The Ed Sullivan Show.” This holiday favorite will be directed by Jason Heil, who appeared as one of the actors in the production at the Old Globe Theatre. Full of Christmas favorites such as “Mr. Santa,” “Let It Snow” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Plaid Tidings is a holiday treat for the entire family.

New Play Festival

January 11-13, 2013

A continuing collaboration with Playwrights Project of San Diego, NVA will produce two workshop productions of new plays by San Diego artists. The New Play Festival will happen twice a year: once in the summer and once in the winter.

The family in "The Trip to Bountiful" is usually a Caucasian one, but NVA plans to examine the play through the experiences of an African-American one, lead by the luminescent actress Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson (pictured above). Courtesy photo.

The Trip to Bountiful

By Horton Foote

Directed by Kristianne Kurner

Featuring Actors Equity Member Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson as Carrie Watts

February 9 – March 3, 2013

All Carrie Watts wants before she dies is to see her hometown of Bountiful, Texas one last time. Her son and daughter-in-law don’t believe she should make the trip, so she heads out herself to make her dream come true. Starring the amazing actress Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson as Carrie Watts. Produced in honor of NVA Ensemble Member Sandra Ellis-Troy.

“If there's any such thing as a bulletproof play, “The Trip to Bountiful” may be it. Horton Foote's elegiac study in the diminution of old age, which featured Oscar-winner Geraldine Page in the 1985 film, is a sure-fire crowd pleaser” – Los Angeles Times

ion Theatre Executive Artistic Director Claudio Raygoza (above) will make his NVA directorial debut with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Courtesy photo.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

By Dale Wasserman

Directed by Claudio Raygoza (Executive Artistic Director of ion theatre)

Featuring Ensemble Member Kristianne Kurner as Nurse Ratched

March 30 – April 21, 2013

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST is arguably the greatest anti-authority protest novel of the 20th century. The story pits RP McMurphy (a convict who has feigned psychosis so that he can spend the final months of his sentence at a mental institution) against Nurse Ratched (the icy head nurse of the ward), who believes that rules must be followed without exception. A band of patients get caught in the crossfire and the audience is left to decide who was right and who was wrong.

From director Claudio Raygoza: “I first read the novel on a long, bleak Arizona road-trip during my junior high years and it's haunted me for decades. Kesey's novel has to be one of the finest, most shattering contributions to modern literature, and Wasserman's faithfully gutsy adaptation wrestles with essential questions regarding morality, heroism and personal freedom. I'm thrilled to be undertaking this challenge -- and overjoyed to be working at New Village Arts.”

Seascape

By Edward Albee

Directed by Ensemble Member Amanda Sitton

Featuring Ensemble Member Dana Case as Nancy and Ensemble Member Justin Lang as Leslie

May 18 – June 9, 2013

Winner of the 1975 Pulitzer Prize. While having a picnic on the dunes of a quiet beach, Nancy and Charlie, a couple facing retirement, have a spirited debate about how to spend the rest of their lives. Nancy wants adventure and excitement and Charlie would just like to rest. A very unique couple arrives on the same sand dune and have Nancy and Charlie questioning their relationship, each other and their very sanity. An examination of marriage and family that only Edward Albee could create.

Season subscriptions are now on sale and can be purchased by visiting www.NewVillageArts.org or by calling 760-433-3245.

THEATRE REVIEW: "KING HENRY IV, PART 1" at North Coast REP and MiraCosta College

The King's The Thing

North Coast Rep and MiraCosta College join forces for a fantastic, first rate revival of “Henry IV, Part 1”

By Donnie Matsuda

It’s a wonder that North Coast Rep and MiraCosta College in Oceanside have waited so long to begin their partnership bringing Shakespeare’s medieval masterworks to modern day life. Their collaboration seems like a match made in literary heaven, as it gives NCR’s artistic director David Ellenstein the chance to showcase his professional actors in large, lavish productions on the state-of-the-art MiraCosta stage, while MiraCosta’s student actors have the opportunity to share the spotlight with NCR’s master thespians, greatly benefitting from their mentorship, advice, and wisdom.

The first North Coast Rep/MiraCosta College co-production was back in 2010 with The Tempest and now the companies are again joining forces to produce one of the Bard’s most sweeping and stately plays, Henry IV, Part 1. Their collaborative efforts have more than paid off in their handsomely mounted, first rate revival which only holds court for a short while, until March 18, at the MiraCosta Theatre in Oceanside.

Kevin Koppman-Gue as Henry, Prince of Wales and Andrew Barnicle as King Henry IV. Photo courtesy of Eric Bishop.

Henry IV, Part 1 is widely regarded as one of the greatest plays in the Shakespearian canon and it’s easy to see why. It features a cast of colorful characters, boasts some of the most beautiful language ever written, and is replete with universal themes of power, war, family, and honor. The play also provides a nice contrast of influence and politics, as it shifts back and forth from the stately, aristocratic royal court of King Henry IV (as he struggles to defend his kingdom from rebellions on two fronts) to the rowdy escapades of his son, Henry, Prince of Wales (as he cavorts around London taverns with his partner in crime, the lying “low-brow” Falstaff).

The play also introduces some of the most iconic characters in literary history and North Coast Rep’s seasoned veterans along with MiraCosta’s talented up-and-coming actors form a uniformly game ensemble cast. Most impressive is Bernard X. Kopsho as the robustly rotund and playfully comedic Falstaff. As befuddled as he is brazen, Kopsho is a master of physical comedy as he delights in his devilishly droll role, delivering the wry wit of the jolly old knight with both ease and enjoyment. Also strong is fresh-faced Kevin Koppman-Gue as Henry, Prince of Wales. It’s a tall order for such a young actor to trace the character’s vast arc from a young, immature thrill-seeker to a responsible heir to the throne, but Koppman-Gue does an admirable job of being convincing without being overly exuberant in his acting. And Andrew Barnicle is subtle yet strong as the play’s namesake, King Henry IV. He adequately conveys the aging king’s grace and nobility, while also revealing the emotional cracks that begin to form as his kingdom’s future becomes more and more uncertain.

Kevin Koppman-Gue as Henry, Prince of Wales and Bernard X. Kopsho as Sir John Falstaff. Photo courtesy of Eric Bishop.

In other roles, as the impulsive and impetuous Henry Percy (“Hotspur”), Michael Phillip Thomas takes his nickname too much to heart and imbues his character with an overwhelming amount of fire and fury. He rushes through his lines with so much passionate anger at a deafening volume that it is sometimes hard to take his regal role very seriously. In contrast, John Herzog gives a much more grounded and nuanced performance as Hotspur’s father, Thomas Percy, and John Tessmer showcases his bell-clear Shakespearian voice as Earl of Northumberland.

And proving that there are no parts too small, San Diego theatre legend Jonathan McMurtry makes the most out of his cameo role as the red-nosed, ruddy-faced Bardolph. Part inebriated imp, part immoral idiot, McMurtry is simply adorable (and at times amusing) in his gnome-ish interpretation.

Michael Phillip Thomas as Hotspur and Amber Bonasso as Lady Percy. Photo courtesy of Eric Bishop.

While the women aren’t featured as prominently as the men (this is Shakespeare, after all), they still manage to deliver strong performances in their supporting roles. MiraCosta College Theatre Professor Tracy Williams is a lively, loveable rogue as tavern wench Mrs. Quickly, while Amber Bonasso gives an earthy spin to the all too genuine Lady Percy, as she attempts to cool her husband’s rebellious fires with her chilly sensuality.

Director David Ellenstein’s masterful staging brings out the best in his large 29-member ensemble. While helming this three-hour epic Shakespearian saga is no small task, Ellenstein delves deeply into the material and extracts some dynamic and dramatic performances from his uniformly solid cast. His stately direction also works seamlessly with Mike Polak’s stage combat sequences and the overall effect is at times thrilling and intriguing.

Tracy Williams as Mrs. Quickly and Bernard X. Kopsho as Sir John Falstaff. Photo courtesy of Eric Bishop.

And it wouldn’t be 15th century England without some spectacularly regal costumes done up with plenty of pomp and circumstance by designer Alina Bokovikova and a simple but effective multi-locale set (dominated by three larger-than-life, drop-down crests and a oversized corner crossbeam) ingeniously designed by Andrew Layton. Sound designer Chris Leussmann provides musical interludes fit for a king, while lighting designer Matt Schleicher creates some dramatically lit and visually arresting moments.

All in all, North Coast Rep and MiraCosta College’s co-production of Henry IV, Part 1 is everything one could want in a reigning monarch: handsomely designed, smartly written, and brilliantly executed.

Things to know before you go: Henry IV, Part 1 co-presented by North Coast Repertory Theatre and MiraCosta Theatre plays at the MiraCosta College Theatre in Oceanside through March 18, 2012. Running time is 2 hours and 45 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Remaining performances are March 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17 at 7:30pm and March 11, 17, and 18 at 2pm. Tickets are $25 with discounts available for seniors, students, and staff. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (760) 795-6815 or visit www.northcoastrep.org or www.miracosta.edu.

THEATRE REVIEW: "Comedy of Errors" at New Village Arts Theatre

Shakespeare ... with sound effects?

New Village Arts’ zany and cartoon-ish “Comedy of Errors” gets a Hollywood makeover that doesn’t quite click

By Donnie Matsuda

It’s a tricky thing, that Comedy of Errors.

As one of William Shakespeare’s earliest plays, it is somewhat the “black sheep” in The Bard’s family of plays as it doesn’t contain the same amount of pomp, circumstance, and substance as most of his later works. It is also his shortest play and his most farcical of comedies, relying mostly on oddball characters, outrageous antics and slapstick scenarios of the most absurd kind. But, despite all the silly shenanigans, the play still bears the stamp of Shakespeare in both its masterful language and brilliant word-play.

(Foreground, L-R): Manny Fernandes as Duke Solinus and Kristianne Kurner as Adriana in New Village Arts' production of "The Comedy of Errors." Photo by Daren Scott.

The Comedy of Errors tells the tale of two sets of identical twins (Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus and their man servants Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus) who are accidentally separated at birth. When Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus with his manservant by his side, things get complicated and confusing as they are frequently mistaken for their twins: Antipholus of Ephesus and his manservant, Dromio of Ephesus, respectively. For instance, Adriana, the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, mistakes his twin brother (the one from Syracuse) as her husband and things become awkward when he begins making sexual advances at Adriana’s sister, Luciana. Meanwhile, the real Antipholus of Ephesus faces problems when he is unable to pay for a gold necklace that was actually sold to his twin. And so the preposterous cases of mistaken identity play out over and over again to the point that even master mistakes manservant and manservant mistakes master.

While the genius of Shakespeare remains intact here, the slapstick comedy feels fresh and open to interpretation. So, it may come as no surprise that recent revivals try to contemporize the time and place of the piece in an attempt to make it more accessible and fun for modern-day audiences.

Kyle Lucy as Dromio of Syracuse, John DeCarlo as Antipholus of Ephesus, and Durwood Murray as The Officer. Photo by Daren Scott.

Director Justin Lang and the New Village Arts Ensemble should be commended for having the ingenious idea of setting this crazy comedy in Hollywood, California during the golden age of the television sitcom. It is a brilliant concept in theory, but unfortunately, it doesn’t quite play out so well in the flesh. The major problem with their revival is that the look of their slick 1950’s television broadcast doesn’t jive at all with the language of Shakespeare’s richly metaphoric and archaic rhyme schemes. And the frequent attempts to make it feel like a good fit only make it more glaringly obvious that this concept is about as gratifying as trying to fit a round peg in a square hole.

Despite the mismatched premise, Lang’s production is very fast-paced and incredibly well-acted. His spry direction goes off without a hitch (though we could do without the cheesy LooneyTunes inspired sound effects) and his actors are so poised and polished, they tend to speed through their dialogue faster than a bullet train. But, above all, the members of the New Village Arts ensemble are super savvy actors - equally adept at over-the-top characterizations as they are with broad physical comedy.

With identical hair and costumes, Kyle Lucy and Adam Brick are virtual carbon copies of each other as Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus, respectively. These two stooges are masters of comedy and deliver firecracker performances that are at times hilarious, at times silly, but always engaging. As the Antipholi (?), Max Macke and John DeCarlo don’t look anything alike, except for their similarly stout body types. But if one can suspend disbelief for the play’s speedy two hour run time, they each give solid performances and are convincing enough in their delightfully incredulous roles.

Kristianne Kurner as the brazen Adriana and Amanda Sitton as the endearing Luciana both shine in their Lucy and Ethel inspired roles. Without a doubt, they are the most successful at melding their “I Love Lucy” characters with Shakespeare’s tricky tongue-twisters and their winning performances give some vibrancy and verve to an otherwise oddball show.

The "Comedy of Errors" Company. Photo by Daren Scott.

Performance-wise, there is not a weak link in the entire 19-member ensemble cast, which includes fine supporting performances by Manny Fernandes as the sunglass-sporting, wheelchair-bound Duke Solinus, Jack Missett as the aged Egeon and clownish medicine man Dr. Pinch, Frances Regal as a chopstick-wearing, Chinese doll Courtesan, and Dana Case as an aloof, cigarette-smoking stage manager (among other roles). Chris Renda as Balthasar and Durwood Murray as The Officer round out the rest of the adult company.

This production also includes some young tweenage actors (most members of NVA’s Junior Ensemble) who are quite good in their cameo roles. Most notable is a spunky Jonah Gercke who is somewhat miscast in the role of gold seller, Angelo. He is a terrific talent and shows an incredible amount of acting potential already at his young age.

All things considered, New Village Arts’ Comedy doesn’t go off without a few errors of its own. But it is the strong acting chops of its sterling cast and the brilliance of the Bard’s own writing that remains the saving grace of this misfit, if a bit misguided, farce.

Things to know before you go: The Comedy of Errors plays at the New Village Arts Theatre through March 4, 2012. Running time is 1 hour and 50 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and Sundays at 2pm. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (760) 433-3245 or visit www.newvillagearts.org.

Another (Group of) Openings ... Another (Group of) Shows

The problem with having so many prolific theatre companies in San Diego is that it is impossible to see all the shows that are produced in and around our vast county. For instance, yours truly is reviewing three productions this weekend and that means I’m missing out on three other shows that are also opening this weekend. In order to give these shows their turn in the spotlight, I’ve featured a brief blurb about each below.

WHO: Eveoke Dance Theatre Company

WHAT: “Reflections” is a dance-theatre-visual art fusion performance piece that focuses on the stories of everyday women who have done extraordinary things. While you may not have heard about the six historical heroines featured in this work (Saint Josephine Bakhita, Rachel Corrie, Henrietta Lacks, Mukhtar Mai, Hannah Senesh, and Michi Nishiura Weglyn), their courageous stories have affected history in a profound way. Ericka Aisha Moore choreographs while Lynn Susholtz and Araceli Carrera provide visual art.

WHERE: Art Produce, 3139 University Avenue in North Park

WHEN: Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Now through February 12.

HOW: www.eveoke.org or 619-238-1153

WHO: The Old Globe

WHAT: “The Recommendation,” a world premiere play by up-and-coming playwright Jonathan Caren, focuses on two unlikely college roommates – one white, wealthy, and well-connected and the other mixed-race, middle-class, and disadvantaged. As one roommate tries to help the other, their once solid friendship is later threatened as a third person becomes involved.

WHERE: Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park

WHEN: Various showtimes. Now through February 26.

HOW: www.theoldglobe.org or 619-23-GLOBE

WHO: PaccoArts

WHAT: The premise of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged and revised)” can best be summed up in the plays tagline: 3 Guys, 37 Plays, 97 Minutes! Real life friends Jaysen Waller, Bruce Blackwell, and David Pinson are teaming up for a fifth time to present this zippy, fast-paced farcical production. They have had great success in their previous four incarnations of this show, so who knows? Maybe the fifth (and fully revised) time is the charm.

WHERE: Patio Playhouse, 201 East Grand Avenue in Escondido.

WHEN: Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm. Now through February 12.

HOW: www.paccoarts.com or 760-593-7074