| Monday, December 14, 2009 |
| Theater09 |
I'm officially done with theater for the year -- most local companies have switched into seasonal mode and are presenting "A Christmas Carol" and the like. Over the weekend, we caught Shotgun Players' fierce new production of "The Threepenny Opera," which transplants Brecht & Weill's masterwork to the punk era, and the extremely silly, funny "The 39 Steps" at Best of Broadway. We got special $39 tickets to the latter show through MyBART, which, along with Goldstar, is a must for the bargain-minded theater fan. If you love both Alfred Hitchcock and wacky British comedies like "Noises Off," you'll enjoy this spoof.
Here are the five best plays out of the 40-odd shows I saw in 2009:
1. "Miss Julie" by August Strindberg (Aurora Theater, Berkeley). The prolific and talented writer/director Mark Jackson is such a valuable part of our local theater scene, and he was at his best with this electrifying adaptation of Strindberg's 1888 play. One of the most mesmerizing, absorbing experiences I've ever had in a theater. If I had any pull with the MacArthur "genius grant" committee, I'd nominate Jackson.
2. "King Hedley II" by August Wilson (American Stage Theater, St. Petersburg, FL). I will admit that I was a little snobby about going to see a serious play in sunny Florida, but seeing is believing, and the cast and production were Broadway quality. I'm bummed that I missed their recent production of Wilson's "Fences," which got great reviews and set attendance records.
3. "American Idiot" by Green Day & Michael Mayer (Berkeley Rep, Berkeley). Another pleasant surprise was how much I enjoyed "American Idiot," even though I'm not a particularly big Green Day fan. The show was exciting and entertaining, boasting a terrific young cast and the year's most eye-popping set -- there was so much going on that the show was halfway over before I realized there was a car hanging from the ceiling.
4. "Gypsy" by Laurents/Styne/Sondheim (Altarena Playhouse, Alameda). Proof that even an old warhorse of a musical performed by a community theater group can be a magical experience, thanks largely to Donna Turner, who had audiences leaping to their feet to applaud her amazing performance as Mama Rose.
5. "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" by Martin McDonagh (Berkeley Rep, Berkeley). Bloody hilarious -- and I do mean bloody. |
posted by 125records @ 4:19 PM  |
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| 2 Comments: |
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Inishmore was probably the best play I saw in 2008.
Would you believe I saw 46 plays (or theatrical pieces of some sort) this year? Eek! Of course, it helps to cross paths with a couple of theater festivals. I think I see a dozen performances at the Revolutions International Theater Festival every January, a half dozen at Global Dance Fest, and this year I oddly discovered a Danish theater/dance showcase while hanging out in Copenhagen. A good theater year for me!
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I'm looking forward to 'American Idiot' coming to Broadway. I like these high energy rock shows.
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Inishmore was probably the best play I saw in 2008.
Would you believe I saw 46 plays (or theatrical pieces of some sort) this year? Eek! Of course, it helps to cross paths with a couple of theater festivals. I think I see a dozen performances at the Revolutions International Theater Festival every January, a half dozen at Global Dance Fest, and this year I oddly discovered a Danish theater/dance showcase while hanging out in Copenhagen. A good theater year for me!