Review: THE PROM at Berkeley Playhouse
THE PROM at Berkeley Playhouse sparkles with energy, sequins, and high-octane choreography. With its message of inclusivity and tolerance, the show highlights the continued struggles of LBGTQ+ youth. Come for the dancing, and stay for the story. And just like in high school, THE PROM is a night you won’t forget.hat did our critic think of THE PROM at Berkeley Playhouse?
Review: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at 42nd Street Moon
What did our critic think of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at 42nd Street Moon? Kudos to 42nd Street Moon for tackling Sondheim's challenging Merrily We Roll Along, a flop when introduced in 1981 but consistently reworked through the years to its present popularity (a Broadway run and film in the works).
Berkeley Rep to Welcome 15 Fellows for 2022/23 Season
Berkeley Repertory Theatre will welcome 15 young professionals who have been awarded fellowships for the 2022/23 season. Talented individuals from across the nation apply for this 11-month-long pre-professional training at the award-winning theatre.
BWW Review: DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL: DC & PETER'S GLORIOUS ROMP THROUGH THE GOLDEN AGE OF TV THEME SONGS at 42nd Street Moon Delivers a Fizzy Celebration of Pop Culture
42nd Street Moon is concluding its online Moonbeams series on a rather deliciously demented high note with Don’t Touch That Dial: DC & Peter’s Glorious Romp through the Golden Age of TV Theme Songs. Just like the timeworn sitcoms that generated most of its songs, Don’t Touch That Dial wants nothing more than to entertain, packing in dozens of catchy tunes you maybe didn’t even know you knew in a fast-moving hourlong fantasia of fizzy humor and gimlet-eyed nostalgia. Although Moon’s remit is normally to revisit stage musicals, rather than television shows, this enterprise isn’t quite as far afield for them as you might imagine. It, too, comes wrapped in affectionate homage to times past.
BWW Interview: DC Scarpelli & Peter Budinger of DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL: DC AND PETER'S GLORIOUS ROMP THROUGH THE GOLDEN AGE OF TV THEME SONGS at 42nd Street Moon
After the myriad stresses of the past year, we could all use some straight-up entertainment and 42nd Street Moon is providing just that with Don’t Touch That Dial: DC and Peter’s Glorious Romp Through the Golden Age of TV Theme Songs. Conceived and directed by DC Scarpelli and Peter Budinger, the show promises, a light-hearted, celebratory stroll down memory lane as Scarpelli and Budinger guide us through the decades of catchy sitcom themes and the evolution of television. The large, diverse cast also includes Moon stalwarts like Meg McKay and Keith Pinto among a host of multi-talented performers who may be new to you. Don’t Touch That Dial is available to stream from June 5 – 27, 2021 as part of 42nd Street Moon’s paid virtual ticketed MoonBeams series. Tickets and further information are available at www.42ndstmoon.org/moonbeams.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Budinger and Scarpelli last week as they were still putting the finishing touches on the video presentation. As Scarpelli says, “We’re not satisfied with any musical number until it’s utterly dripping with charm and delight.” If you ever run into them at a party, these are definitely the guys you want to talk to as they are both a barrel of fun and an endless font of information about classic TV and musical theater. A married couple, the two have been working together for years as well as performing individually, and their combined theater credits read like a recent history of Bay Area musical theater. The freewheeling conversation covered how they conceived the show and put it together, which obscure songs didn’t make the final cut, and shows they’d love for Moon to mount in the future.
42nd Street Moon Announces 2021 MoonBeams Series
This spring MoonBeams season features a Tony nominated production, stars seen on the Bay Area and Broadway stages, as well as new, never seen before, over the top theatrical numbers that will have audiences singing along at home!
Town Hall Theatre Archives to Present AN IDEAL HUSBAND
Town Hall Theatre continues opening up the archives to share some of our past productions with audiences. Next up: our recording of the award-winning 2017 production of Oscar Wilde's deliciously witty comedy, AN IDEAL HUSBAND, accessible for viewing starting June 11 through July 17, 2020. Viewing is free online with donations appreciated at: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/town-hall-video-archives.
Cast Announced For 42nd Street Moon's THE PAJAMA GAME
San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon has announced the full cast and creative team for the Company's next production, the beloved Tony Award-winning a?oeBest Musicala?? THE PAJAMA GAME. Based on the novel a?oe7½ Centsa?? by Richard Bissell, THE PAJAMA GAME features a book by George Abbott and Bissell, with music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (DAMN YANKEES).
VIDEO: Highlights From GYPSY At Bay Area Musicals
Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque artist Gypsy Rose Lee, GYPSY features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. Bay Area Musicals' production of GYPSY runs from November 9 - December 8, 2019 and will perform at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102). The press opening will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
BWW Review: GYPSY at Bay Area Musicals Gives Us a Welcome Chance to Revisit This All-Time Classic
a?oeGypsya?? is undeniably one of the all-time great achievements of the American musical theater. It possesses a thrilling combination of showbiz razzmatazz and dramatic intensity, grounded in Arthur Laurents' complex book and wrapped in an incomparably tuneful and stirring score by Jule Styne & Stephen Sondheim. For anyone who has not yet had the pleasure of seeing a?oeGypsy,a?? here's the basic rundown. This a?oemusical fablea?? is pretty much the ultimate backstage musical, set in the 1920's/30's against the backdrop of the dying vaudeville circuit and based on the true tale of the ultimate stage mother and her two daughters. Momma Rose, dissatisfied with the lousy cards life has dealt her, pushes her two young daughters to careers in show business as a way of fulfilling her own dreams. In real life, one eventually became successful actress June Havoc, and the other perhaps the most famous American stripper of all time, Gypsy Rose Lee. The show is replete with kiddie acts, charm songs, comic numbers and roof-raising anthems, all performed with a dual edge of gusto and desperation.
Review Roundup: GYPSY at Bay Area Musicals - What Did the Critics Think?
Bay Area Musicals presents the timeless 6-Time Tony Award-winning masterpiece GYPSY. Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque artist Gypsy Rose Lee, GYPSY features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. Bay Area Musicals' production of GYPSY runs from November 9 a?" December 8, 2019 at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102).
Photo Flash: First Look at Bay Area Musicals' GYPSY
Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque artist Gypsy Rose Lee, GYPSY features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. Bay Area Musicals' production of GYPSY runs from November 9 – December 8, 2019 and will perform at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102). The press opening will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
Bay Area Musicals Presents GYPSY
Bay Area Musicals has announced the full cast and creative team for the first production of the Company's 2019-2020 season, the timeless 6-Time Tony Award-winning masterpiece GYPSY. Inspired by the 1957 memoirs of legendary burlesque artist Gypsy Rose Lee, GYPSY features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. Bay Area Musicals' production of GYPSY runs from November 9 a?" December 8, 2019 and will perform at San Francisco's Alcazar Theatre (650 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102). The press opening will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Regular tickets range from $40 - $85 and can be purchased online at www.bamsf.org/gypsy. Opening Night Fundraiser Tickets (available only for the Saturday, November 9 performance at 8:00 p.m.) range from $50 - $100 and includes dessert and a champagne toast with the cast (and can also be purchased online at www.bamsf.org/gypsy).