Palo Alto Players has not let the pandemic get in the way of bringing real-life married couple, Marah Sotelo and Chris Sotelo, to the stage for a beautifully directed, sung, and filmed production of The Last Five Years. This partly autobiographical musical of composer Jason Robert Brown’s former marriage portrays five years of a relationship. The twist: the female partner, Cathy, begins her tale at the end of the relationship while the male partner, Jamie, begins at the start. With just a duet that unites the two, the audience’s main focus is on the individual journey, success, and struggles each partner faces. Mr. and Mrs. Sotelo have delivered a performance which makes you forget you’re streaming the production so that you may enjoy the subtleties of what makes a couple come together and break apart.
Director Patrick Klein and Vocal Director Dolores Duran-Cefalu have created a tight-knit production of The Last Five Years, one that shows the intimacies of the script and storytelling gravitas of the score. Having seen a fair amount of productions of this particular musical over the years, including the movie adaptation, I can safely say it is generally a deeper production when the stage couple is a real-life couple, and this production stays true to the pattern. Mr. and Mrs. Sotelo execute Mr. Klein’s smooth direction with ease, weaving real life intricacy into the script that only a couple who are going through life together can effectively deliver. Mrs. Sotelo’s search for her name in Jamie’s first book during “A Part of That”—all the while backdropped with Mr. Sotelo’s happy headshot, during the song’s repeat of the title lyric—is a moment of devastating denial which Mrs. Sotelo delivers with heartbreaking nuance.
(Chris Sotelo (Jamie) and Marah Sotelo (Cathy); Photo credit: Henry Wilen)
The staging, paired with Scott Ludwig’s technical and scenic designs, puts the couple in a boat, and then in front of a beautifully decorated altar during the couple’s duet, “The Next Ten Minutes.” The visual and vocal chemistry shared by the Sotelos almost makes those familiar with the piece hope the ending has changed simply because the love is potent in the best of ways.
Individually, both shine royally when the time calls for it. Mr. Sotelo is great in “A Miracle Would Happen,” pairing vocal storytelling with expressive reactions to every female temptation crossing his eye line. Pairing well with that song is Mrs. Sotelo’s turn at “When You Come Home With Me,” which showcases her legit vocals and musical comedy chops as Cathy questions every decision she has made which led up to her current audition. Jamie’s recitation of a portion of his best-selling book, the longest speech given without music in the play, is given specific attention by Mr. Klein, seizing this more-quiet moment to place Mrs. Sotelo just above Mr. Sotelo’s shoulder looking on as he delivers the analogous passage with the right doses of expression and inflection. He later nails his final “me, me, me” song in the hauntingly gas-lit “If I Didn’t Believe in You,” giving the audience a chance to see Jamie’s regret of every decision he made that led him to committing to Cathy. However, it is the one-two punch of Mr. Sotelo’s energetic, superb delivery of “The Schmuel Song” followed by Mrs. Sotelo’s glorious “A Summer in Ohio” which serves as the production’s strongest sequence.
Abby May has designed a wonderful lighting palette which sets the moods with simplicity and pleasing washes for each progression of the couple’s relationship. Jeff Grafton and Grant Huberty team up to execute a solid sound design and videography job, allowing audiences to enjoy the play’s theatricality while being invited in closer to the softer moments, closer than if we were sitting in the Lucie Stern Theater itself. All this is to say that Palo Alto Players has provided a production that will satisfy your theatrical hunger and distract you from “Zoom” fatigue. You have until February 14th to purchase your digital ticket and enjoy this sublime production; do see this show!
As our quarantine continues its threshold on our outdoor and artistic experiences, I’m bringing you another theatre company’s season to shed some light at the end of this tunnel. That being said, I am happy to highlight the 2020-2021 season at Palo Alto Players!
Shows/Dates: Allegiance (September 18th - October 4th); Swing! (November 6th - 22nd); Men on Boats (January 15th, 2021 - January 31st, 2021); TBA Musical (April 23rd - May 9th); Twelfth Night (June 11th - 27th)
Description: Palo Alto Players is a staple theatre company for the Bay Area Peninsula, and a fabulous one at that! Over the years, I have had the pleasure of seeing their productions of Altar Boyz, Boeing Boeing, Eurydice, Clybourne Park, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Into the Woods, A Day in Hollywood/A Night at the Ukraine (show #600!), Million Dollar Quartet, Peter Pan, The Laramie Project, Rock of Ages, Shakespeare in Love, and A Doll’s House, Part 2. I also had the pleasure of dancing it up and singing all that jazz on their stage in Chicago. Make plans now to support Palo Alto Players in all ways you can, and then look forward to seeing their stellar 2020-2021 season!
Lucas Hnath was on to something when he sat down to write his response play to Ibsen’s iconic work, A Doll’s House. A play which received outrage and protests, but also empowering reactions over time, now receives its fifteen-years-later examination when Nora returns to the home, and family, she walked out on. Palo Alto Players has taken on this incredible text by putting it in the hands of Jeffrey Lo, whose sturdy direction is stunning in his approach to the text with simplicity and a fully-realized concept. Executed by a flawless cast, this A Doll’s House, Part 2 is an evening at the Lucie Stern Theater you do not want to skip.
(Gabriela Grier (Nora) and MIchael Champlin (Torvald); Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
Led by an incredibly strong Gabriela Grier, Nora returns to the living room once housing portraits, furniture, and décor, which made this her home, only to find it is now just a barren room with flower wall paper, a couple of chairs, a table, and a coat rack. Ms. Grier, however, fills the room with a palpable intensity that comes in waves of determination, bargaining, plotting, loving, groveling, and veracity. Ms. Grier delivers her dialogue, complete with enough monologues to warrant some much-needed sips from her soda can, with a commanding eloquence that makes Mr. Hnath’s lines sing with rhythm and intensity. Ms. Grier’s chemistry opposite her ex, Torvald, is dished right back by a stellar Michael Champlin. Mr. Champlin delivers his Torvald with a recitative gravitas, knowing when to play the part of successful man trying to keep the household together, and a betrayed husband who just wants to do the right thing. All seemingly calm, respectful roads of compromise and negotiation bubble to the explosive argument between Nora and Torvald in the final scene, handled with volatile composure by Ms. Grier and Mr. Champlin. Mr. Lo’s staging has his two romantic adversaries in all parts of the room, sitting, standing, and bringing an approachable energy to Torvald and Nora’s journey, as they catch up to what their reality is.
(Judith MIller (Anne-Marie) and Gabriela Grier (Nora); Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
Judith Miller is standout as household nanny, Anne-Marie. Her physicality of the aged nanny matches her vocal delivery of some of the plays most astute and comical lines. Her warmth and care for Nora and Torvald juxtaposes her tough love turns when she simply has to put the two in their place. Katherine Hamilton endows Emmy, Nora and Torvald’s daughter, with elegance but a captivating manipulation, directed and delivered in lockstep with Ms. Grier’s Nora. The mother-daughter scene is a stirring duet of cat-and-mouse, and culminates in a satisfying manner.
(Gabriela Grier (Nora) and Katherine Hamilton (Emmy); Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
There are all sorts of touches and staging nuances Mr. Lo has throughout the one-act play, all of which elevate Mr. Hnath’s text from living room drama to high-concept theatre. This is not a knock to Mr. Hnath, as his text is one that requires, or allows, the direction to make strong choices based on how near-conversational Mr. Hnath’s syntax runs. Christopher Fitzer’s gorgeous scenic design allows Mr. Lo and cast tons of playing room and for staging choices and chair placement to have a reason rather than functional, they actually push the plot and enhance the tone of each conversation. Carolyn A. Guggemos’ lighting design has pushes of dims and brights to draw attention to key lines, takes, and retorts between the four characters, and does so in quite the effective, very noticeable manner. Melissa Sanchez’s costume design is spot-on period, and her particular palette choice for Nora is a proper standout against the primary scenic color.
A Doll’s House, Part 2 is a play one approaches with a caution but intrigue, as Ibsen’s play is a standalone drama that has stood the test of time. However, the response Mr. Hnath has created is one that is equally applicable to audiences in 2020, and will surely stand the test of time as well. Fear not if you have never seen Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, for this play is its own entity, and Mr. Lo and company have ensured that you’re in for an enthralling time at the theater. Go see this show!
Hello and welcome to this week’s Hump Day highlight of a new season. This week, and the next few weeks, are literally hot-off-the-press announcements! Since my most recent show-seeing endeavor was with this company, I am highlighting them this week. Let’s journey on down to the beautiful city of Palo Alto to see what the Peninsula’s longest-running theatre group has in store for audiences!
Shows/Dates: Bright Star (September 14th - 29th); A Christmas Story, the Musical (November 9th - 24th); A Doll’s House, Part 2 (January 18th, 2020 - February 2nd, 2020); Matilda, the Musical (April 25th - May 10th); An Act of God (June 13th - 28th)
Description: Palo Alto Players has been a source for theatre for over 80 years! Not only have I enjoyed seeing their productions of Altar Boyz, Boeing, Boeing, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (show #600 for me!), and their currently-running Shakespeare in Love, I had the wonderful opportunity to perform with them in Chicago. This upcoming season is jam-packed with new Broadway hits and classic stage adaptations of your favorite books and films. Palo Alto Players is always a yes when it comes great titles and great productions of those great titles. So say yes to Palo Alto Players and go see their shows! Hope to see YOU at the Lucie Stern!
As a 16-year old boy in high school, I lost my father in a car accident. As a 17-year old senior in high school, I cried, for the first time since my father’s death, at a school play. San Mateo High School’s drama department staged The Laramie Project and I wept like a little child missing his father. I was so affected by the material and performances that I went back the following weekend to see it again, only to weep even more. Why did that manifestation of empathy for parents losing a child encroach on my otherwise steadfast emotional wall of “no feelings?” I have no idea. But The Laramie Project was the first piece of theatre which tapped into my empathy. The legacy Matthew Shepard left behind, the emotional road his parents had to endure, and the town’s response to this tragic hate crime have touched me in a way that will always resonate in my mind and heart. Palo Alto Players’ currently running production of The Laramie Project reminded me just how vital and timeless this story is. The 17-year old boy in me was nostalgically present when I saw it, but the 29-year old current version of me was so deeply moved by this production that tears weren’t possible; utter silence and a tugging at my heart was the only response I could muster before applauding the great work of this company. A good number of Laramie residents opened their hearts and spoke about this tragedy, and the cast portraying these people in Palo Alto are not just capable but exemplary under the sensitively perfect direction by Lee Ann Payne.
Often when plays like The Laramie Project’s are done, the script attempts to balance the tracks of those who are telling the story along with the characters of the story the actors are portraying. This can lead to an imbalance of emotional awareness and assigning of commitment by the audience and the performers. However, Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project created a precisely theatrical twist to this device: make the play about the people, not the actors. If given a pie chart, one might say The Laramie Project is 10% about actors portraying Laramie residents and 90% about the Laramie residents. The play is about the town; it’s about the people who were interviewed, not those doing the interviewing. This decision by Kaufman and company is exactly what makes The Laramie Project poignant, effective, relatable, and widely performed. All one needs is a smart director and a cast who can honestly portray a town of varying convictions and opinions. Palo Alto Players has all the goods with their impeccable ensemble, and a director who has staged the play in such a way that tells the story, not puts on a show.
(Cast of The Laramie Project; Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
Miss Payne helms this Laramie Project in a fluid, almost breathtaking way. Cadences are kept true; dialects are never a distraction, rather serving as context for character diversity, and scene changes push the visual stimulation of this extremely intriguing piece. The cast executes Miss Payne’s staging and changes with efficiency, natural motivation, and stalwart commitment. Individually, every performer takes the stage as a monologist as well as supporting characters in the scene. Know that with a cast of eight, these actors are portraying many different people (both of the Tectonic Theater Project and Laramie residents), and a simple costume piece change is all they use to shift gears. The shift adds to the beauty of the play, and adds nuance and impressive depth to the performances. Miss Payne ensures that the story is told, flawlessly.
(Jeff Clarke and Kelly Hudson, with Cast members behind; Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
Jeff Clarke stands out as Mr. Shepard, Matthew’s father, in the Act Two monologue that never leaves the audience without tears. His delivery of Mr. Shepard’s excerpt of a court speech is inflected and emotionally nuanced in such a way that you forget an actor is reciting the excerpt, but rather is a father mourning and healing from his son’s death. Todd Wright brings an emotional intensity earlier as the CEO Doctor who has to deliver the news of Matthew’s health, and eventual death, with a call out to all parents, “Go home, hug your kids, and don’t let a day go by where you don’t tell them you love them.” It’s in this moment where Mr. Wright wraps the audience into the reality of Matthew’s death and doesn’t dare let anyone escape before feeling every ounce of sadness from Matthew’s untimely death. Dana Morgan shines well as the local officer who responded to Matthew when he was tied up at the buck fence. Miss Morgan has a delightful disposition as the proud, exuberant cop, making her few moments of AIDS-based fright all the more compelling. Kelly Hudson delivers a wonderful performance as a lesbian professor at the University of Wyoming, exuding maternal warmth with spitfire wit and attitude, showing a nice array of personality for this particular Laramie resident.
(Josiah Frampton, Jeff Clarke, and Roneet Aliza Rahamin; Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
Brad Satterwhite delivers a delightfully energetic, passionate performance as a student of the University of Wyoming student, one of the few ongoing characters the audience sees grow from first interview to last. Josiah Frampton delivers an outstanding performance as the bartender who served Matthew the night of his beating. Mr. Frampton has the college boy demeanor and timbre down pat, making it a delightful character to reencounter. Judith Miller gives an exceptional performance as one of the fire-and-brimstone preachers in Laramie, nailing the pastoral cadence and physicality with positively imposing presence. Roneet Aliza Rahamin delivers an enthusiastic portrayal of one of the protesting angels at Matthew’s funeral, leading in the silencing of one of the anti-Gay and Lesbian preachers with an excellent monologue and emotionally approachable demeanor.
(Set picture from the House; Photo credit: Lee Ann Payne)
True to tradition, the production values are minimalist, stripped down, and absolutely nuanced. Nikolaj Sorensen’s scenic and projection design are exactly what the script calls for: as little as possible but just enough set pieces to set the tone. The three-paneled projections are all the background needs, and the use of chairs in conjunction with the famous fence is eerily effective. Patrick Mahoney’s lighting design is palette-perfect, always shining and dimming in harmony with Miss Payne’s staging and scene shifts. Lastly, Melissa Sanchez’s costume design is the right balance of subdued and theatrical, functional in that every actor’s new role has an authentic look which rightfully differs from the other characters.
The Laramie Project at Palo Alto Players is a must-see production. Often times when a great script is produced, either the show, as a whole, is great, or individual performances stand out. In the case of this production, the sum is as great as the parts, both on and off-stage. Don’t you dare miss this show.
I feel as if God blesses certain performers who take the time to hone their theatrical craft by incorporating the ability to act, sing, move, and play an instrument by giving them the chance to do Million Dollar Quartet. This concert with a monologue was created by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux and received several Tony nominations, including Best Musical. Palo Alto Players has premiered this recently released title to its Peninsula audiences and for good reason: why in tarnation would you not want to see four completely capable actor-singer-musicians recreate that historical Memphis recording session from December 4, 1956? The audience knows the tunes and wants to be entertained, and this stellar cast at Palo Alto Players simply rocks ‘n rolls their way to a dynamite performance.
(L to R: Jaake Margo (Elvis), Jessica LaFever (Dyanne), Tarif Pappu (Perkins), Greg Zema (Cash), and Nick Kenrick (Jerry Lee Lewis); Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
The quartet, of course, is compiled of Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. The four men portraying these icons of rock ‘n roll are absolutely solid musical artists. What makes this musical more than just another jukebox review is the palpable chemistry throughout the production, beginning with an electrifying all-call “Blue Suede Shoes” to kick-off the show. Throughout the intermission-less production, each of the quartet and two supporting roles, make musical love in their unique way that draws the audience in to each one of these characters’ journeys. Jaake Margo, as Elvis, makes love to the thrill of music; Nick Kenrick, as Lewis, makes love to himself; Tarif Pappu, as Perkins, makes love to the guitar; Greg Zema, as Cash, makes love to his grounded faith in God; Jeremy Ryan, as Sun Records producer, Sam Phillips, makes love to money; and Jessica LaFever, as Presley’s fictional girlfriend, Dyanne, makes to love to the mic. These six members of Million Dollar Quartet sing and shine their way through a catalog of songs that translates as a concert that anyone would want to attend; where personalities and music styles are all served buffet-style for the audience to enjoy in plenty. The four men portraying these rock ‘n roll hall-of-famers do the job they’ve been given, and do it mighty well.
(Nick Kenrick (Jerry Lee Lewis); Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
Mr. Margo’s Presley carries exuberance and charisma, igniting songs such as “That’s All Right” and an encore of “Hound Dog” with true Elvis lip-quiver and hip-shakin’ splendor. Mr. Kenrick is a show-stopper on the piano, delivering enthusiasm and complete abandon for “traditional” piano playing, just like the late, great Lewis was known for. Mr. Kenrick’s turn in “Great Balls of Fire” is a welcomed expectation that does not disappoint, and the final encore has Mr. Kenrick pulling out all the tricks in “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” allowing the audience to leave with plenty of grins and applause still built up from the exhausting performance Mr. Kenrick seems to effortlessly deliver. Mr. Pappu is all kinds of earnest and passionate in his portrayal of Carl Perkins, the original writer/performer of ‘Blue Suede Shoes.’ Really, the whole evening existed because it was a Perkins recording session that was hijacked by the other three artists. Mr. Pappu’s fantastic smile and vocal chops are freshly heard as he bellows through “Who Do You Love?” and “Party.” Finally, Mr. Zema is steadfast as Cash, unshakably solid in keeping the secret that’s been keeping him from really letting loose while still staying true to family and God, all the while delivering that country bass voice audiences have come to love over the decades. Mr. Zema’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Sixteens Tons,” and “Walk the Line” are spot-on Cash and soothing to the eyes and ears. Whether it be blues, rockabilly, rock ‘n roll, or country, these four men showcase the distinct and varying talents the four icons brought to the world of music.
Jeremy Ryan, as Sam Phillips, the record producer who started Sun Records and gave names like Perkins, Cash, and Presley their start, has a thru line narration with scenes hiccupped between songs, giving him time with each of the quartet members and the fictional Dyanne. Mr. Ryan does a merry job of stringing the events of that recording session together for the audience to follow, while providing some lovely depth in the moment when an expected contract renewal goes awry. Miss LaFever is given, arguably, two of the best numbers in the show and she truly let loose a rock ‘n roll twang of a voice that will make you reimagine how “Fever” and “I Hear You Knocking” should really sound.
(Jeremy Ryan (Sam Phillips) and Nick Kenrick (Jerry Lee Lewis); Photo credit: Joyce Goldschmid)
True to the facts, the Sun Records studio looks like a refurbished auto mat, an aesthetic that Nikolaj Sorensen nails with his wonderful scenic design. Katie Coleman’s music direction serves the well-known music quite well, and also enhances the four player-performer sound by bringing in a very talented Daniel Murguia on bass and a rockin’ Ryan Stohs on drums. Pat Tyler’s costumes are pleasing to the eye and fulfill the purpose of dressing these icons in period-appropriate perfection. Million Dollar Quartet will continue rocking out at the Lucie Stern through October 1st, so drop a nickel in the jukebox and roll on over to catch this dynamite cast put on one helluva show.
'Tis the season to announce the season. A plethora of theatre companies that I follow have begun announcing their upcoming seasons, so here we go! This company is a near-and-dear company to me, having performed on their stage before, and being one where I make sure to see as many of their stellar shows as possible. This week, I am happy to highlight the 2017/2018 of Palo Alto Players!
Shows/Dates: Million Dollar Quartet (September 16th - October 1st); Peter Pan (November 4th - 19th); The Laramie Project (January 20th, 2018 - February 4th, 2018); Rock of Ages (April 28th - May 13th); The Man Who Came to Dinner (June 16th - July 1st)
Description: In 2015, I had the absolute privilege to dance and sing in Palo Alto Players' production of Chicago. Prior to and since then, I have enjoyed many of their shows, including Altar Boyz, Boeing, Boeing, Eurydice, Clybourne Park, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and most recently, my 600th show, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine. Palo Alto Players' 2017/2018 season will mark their 87th year in business, a feat in its own right! Check out their website to inquire about tickets, location, and all the info needed to get your butt to their theater. Go see a show
Vanya and Sonia are adopted siblings who reside in their deceased parents’ house in the Bucks County countryside. Masha, Vanya’s birth sister, pays for the house, the bills, and basically everything, thanks to a lucrative B-movie career. When she comes to visit for a weekend, bringing along a twenty-something stud muffin, aptly named Spike, the four engage in interesting, revealing conversations, attend a costume party, and are witness to a reading of Vanya’s first play, which is about personified molecules. Jealousy, loneliness, and denial drive Durang’s plot to moments of high-pitched laughter, thought-provoking lessons, and loving moments of intimacy. Director Linda Piccone found every one of these levels through her crafty staging, and triumphed in nailing all the comedy in Durang’s script.
Walter M. Mayes (Vanya) and Patricia Tyler (Sonia) began the show with coffee drinking, lake gazing, and mug throwing. Their well-paced conversation eased the audience into a very different kind of Durang play; this script comes as close to normal, human conversation as Durang has gotten, and the cast, as a whole, nails the job of making these conversations real. Mayes hits all of his levels, from sad and confident to joyous and aroused (especially when Spike is present) with a natural flow and consistent attention to his surrounding actors. The Act Two monologue (one of the best modern monologues for older men) was an acting highlight for Mayes, who let passion and intensity drive the meaning behind licking stamps and the value of not multitasking. Tyler began the show with a palpable drab demeanor that saw some light when she received an unsuspecting telephone call from a gentleman whom she had met at the costume party. As Sonia’s happiness and confidence picked up so did Tyler’s contagious energy. Her performance-within-the-performance was a comedy highlight for Tyler as she donned the demeanor and dialect of Snow White’s Evil Queen as played by Dame Maggie Smith on her way to the Oscars.
The energy that bombarded the stage when Judith Miller (Masha) and Jimmy Mason (Spike) entered the scene was outstanding, creating a perfect dynamic shift from the relaxed nature of Vanya and Sonia. Miller nailed Masha’s selfish traits without ambushing her fellow actors; her sibling chemistry with Mayes was wonderfully apparent, growing steadily during the course of the play. Mason, more than just biceps and a six-pack, brought a fantastic nuance to Spike by making him an endearing man-child who just wants attention and for everyone to like him/cheer him on. Mason found moment after moment to get a laugh while finding a balance between being the center of attention and sharing the laugh wealth with his cast mates.
The non-titular roles featured two extremely talented actresses, Damaris Divito (Cassandra) and Kelsey Erhart (Nina). The role of Cassandra, Vanya and Sonia’s housecleaner, is a demanding one consisting of monologue after monologue in a classical style, often making no sense in the present but having moments of truth in the future. Divito’s delivery of each line was brilliant, balancing comedic facial expressions with a passionate fortune-telling tone. Erhart made for an endearing Nina, a neighbor of Vanya and Sonia. Masha sees her as a threat to her for Spike’s affections, a suspicion that pays off but not in the way the audience thinks. Erhart’s connection to Mayes was a stunning display of subtext driving a deep connection that showed the audience exactly how similar Vanya and Nina are.
Major congratulations are owed to the Vanya… cast, crew, and team for putting on a fabulous production of a fabulous play. This show concluded Palo Alto Player’s 2015/2016 season, so be on the lookout for their upcoming 2016/2017 productions. Go see a show!
