By Ande Jacobson
Lauren Yee’s Ching Chong Chinaman may not be the most politically correct play in existence, but it certainly has found a home at City Lights Theater Company. The play is surreal at times and unfolds in a satirical, sitcom fashion as Yee explores the American Dream through the completely assimilated Wong family. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
Edna the Dragon roars again as Dragon Theatre Productions opens its 2013 season in its new home in Redwood City with Gina Gionfriddo’s After Ashley. The show is a dark satire that takes biting stabs at reality and true crime television as the story unfolds. Be aware, this production contains strong language, adult situations, and sexual content not appropriate for young children. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
TheatreWorks is known for its stunning premieres of shows that go on to greatness, and their current production may well follow that tradition. Written by Matthew Lopez, Somewhere, opened its Northern California premiere this weekend to an enthusiastic full house, and this looks to be a thrill ride indeed. Lopez says “the characters are not based on my family; they’re based on my love for my family.” And love is plentiful in this one: love of family, love of tradition, and love making dreams come true. Director Giovanna Sardelli says it best in describing what the play is about when she says “Somewhere is the Puerto Rican answer to the question ‘What happens to a dream deferred?’” Somewhere is a musical but not in the traditional Broadway form. In this show, dance is featured, but the only vocals heard are those in the period recordings in sound designer Jeremy J. Lee’s soundtrack. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
Lynn Nottage’s title, Intimate Apparel, sounds like it may be an advertisement for Victoria Secret, but that only scratches the surface of the material central to this play as Pear Avenue Theatre’s production explores many levels of intimacy beyond the clothing. This is a play about friendship, love, marriage, class, race, and yes, hand-crafted intimate garments. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
Imagine that you have gone to the theatre to see a performance of that Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, The King and I. You’ve been sitting in the auditorium for a few minutes before curtain reading through the program, and you take note of some of the cast members you may know as you read their biographies. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
Sacramento’s 2012 Saxophone Christmas is history, but San Jose is in for a treat on 15 December. In addition to the many favorites on the program, founder Ray Bernd promises three special new arrivals at this year’s San Jose event. Alas, he’s keeping them close to the vest until show time. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
Hillbarn Theatre has brought back an early Andrew Lloyd Webber favorite for this year’s holiday season, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. While the work is Lloyd Webber’s second musical collaboration with Tim Rice immediately following The Likes of Us, it was his first to be publicly performed as a short, though it wasn’t fully staged until after Jesus Christ Superstar made its successful debut. With its catchy music, Joseph… is a colorful, family-friendly show based on the biblical story of Joseph’s coat of many colors. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
As the holiday season approaches, the one event that stands out above all others isn’t Santa Claus’ arrival. No, for a reed player at least, it’s that San Jose tradition – Saxophone Christmas. This year marks the 19th annual gathering where saxophonists of all levels and ages convene on the third Saturday in December (this year the 15th) to renew friendships and make merry playing holiday music on every kind of saxophone one can imagine. From the tiny, pen-sized soprillo, to the 1.9 meter tall contrabass sax, this is an event not to be missed. Fear not, the standard alto, tenor, and baritone saxes that you’ve seen in school bands will be there as well, along with many others. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
March, written by Sharyn Rothstein, marks the end of an era as the little Dragon roars one last time in its cozy Palo Alto home. Starting as a group of nomadic thespians in 1999, Dragon Productions Theatre Company settled into its Alma Street space in 2006. After this production seven seasons later, Dragon will be moving to Redwood City to usher in the 2013 season, but first let us look at the finale to 2012. Continue reading
By Ande Jacobson
Well known British playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard, born Tomáš Straüssler in Zlín, Czechoslovakia, has a reputation for his writing and romances not unlike Henry’s, the main character in his play The Real Thing currently running at the Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View.
In the partially autobiographical story, Henry (Michael Champlin) is an extremely witty playwright who is fixated on the proper and exacting use of language. Continue reading
A Good Reed Review 