Theater Review: Cleopatra

 

Cleopatra! Now there was a woman for you. Much has been said about her, but now Joy Yvonne Jones lets her speak for herself in her own adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” at Moxie Theatre. This is a joint production of Moxie and Loud Fridge Theatre Group.

Antony? Oh, him. Yes, much is also said about him, but he only shows up here in the background, on video. But then, everybody else shows up as background except for Cleo’s maid Charmian, played by Kayla Adorno. And Charmian does not speak. Oh, and a few audience members recruited at the beginning to occasionally stand and say something.

But this show is really only about Cleopatra and her determination to be capital I important. But she does stoop to mention some of the men in her life, Antony obviously chief among them (portrayed by DeAndre Simmons), but also Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and and his nephew Octavian (who gets the throne after Caesar dies (Cleo’s response: “Who the fuck is Octavian and why does he matter?”)

Some of the show is done on film, some just told by the lady herself with occasional appointed words given to a chosen group of women recruited at the beginning.

But the whole story is told through Cleopatra’s perspective, even her complaints about the children she mothered by various of the important men in her life.

Though most of this play is meant to show us how important (okay, self-important) Cleopatra was (“There is no limit to my ambition,” she assures us), the show ends with what may be the most important line of all: “You will never forget me.”

You won’t soon forget this amazing production, either, or the fine job director Andréa Agosto did.

Grab your ticket now. The show closes on September 7.

                                      Joy Yvonne Jones as Cleopatra

Theater Review: Velour: A Drag Spectacular!

I’ve been reviewing plays for some years now, but there are some things I never expected to see onstage. One such is a drag show featuring a performer called Sasha Velour.

The show, called “Velour: A Drag Spectacular” – is based on Velour’s book “The Big Reveal” and directed by theatre artist Moisés Kaufman (of the Playhouse’s “Here There Are Blueberries” and “The Laramie Project”). It runs through Sept. 8 in the Playhouse’s Potiker Theatre. 

The show – co-produced with the New York City-based Tectonic Theatre Project – also includes three other performers doing their own drag: Ezra Reaves, Moscato Sky and Amber St. James.

"Drag is everywhere,” Velour says. “There isn't a corner of the world that hasn't seen a little drag at some point — a wig, a frock, a dance, a swish. Sure, you might have to dig around some fragmented sources and do a little reading past the euphemisms, exclusions, and whitewashings of history to clearly see it, but the truth is… there have always been shows like this.”

I suspect my mom would prefer not to know this, and I’m even more certain I’ve never seen such a thing, but hey ma, things have changed (and besides, she’s dead now).

I must admit I didn’t quite know how to respond to this show, though I was seated very close to a bunch of men who responded quite noisily, with lots of whistles, “woo-hoos” and loud shrieks of apparent delight. Lots of pink boas were to be seen throughout the theater.

But if I can’t really respond intelligently to what was happening onstage, I can certainly give credit where it’s due: Diego Montoya Studio, for the costume design, David Rockwell for the scenic design, Amanda Zieve for lighting and  Palmer Hefferan’s sound design and Cosette “Ettie” Pin for the projection design, Angela Phillips of aerial design, the House of Velour for video creation and Stephen Oremus for music direction.

Don’t worry about what’s happening or where it’s going. Just sit back, relax and enjoy something you’ve likely never seen before.  

Theater Review: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

                    Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista, CA

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to try to become a respected pop singer, I have a great suggestion: Go see Moonlight Stage Productions’ current show “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” It plays through August 31.

This show opened on Broadway in 2014, where it won two Tonys, three Drama Desk awards and a Grammy. It highlights some of the biggest hits of the 1960s and 1970s, and this production is a joy (if a bit exhausting of pace), as you watch the young songwriter make her way in the pop music world.

Melissa Musial plays Brooklyn-born Carole King (born Carol Klein), a songwriter by nature, whom we first see playing the piano at home and singing to herself. 

The play covers her meeting with Gerry Goffin (Brandon Keith Rogers), a young lyricist in need of a songwriter, and the rest is music – and romantic – history.

The show is great fun to watch, because in her search for a musical career, Carole got involved with many other musicians and folks in the industry, and we’ll meet many of them as well. 

Ms. Musial is a fine musician with a charming personality, and the show gives her an excellent supporting cast. The Shirelles are here, and the Drifters, and the Righteous Brothers, and they’ll all perform for us. What more could you ask? 

Unfortunately, on the way, Carole’s personal life begins to fall apart, and we’ll see how she deals with that as well.

Bravo to the company – and especially to Music Director Elan McMahan, who keeps her excellent orchestra and all those unruly miscellaneous musicians singing and playing for our pleasure.

If you haven’t seen this show, you really should. It is like no other.

The details

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” plays through August 31, 2024 at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Brengle Terrace Park, 1250 Vale Terrace Drive in Vista, California.

Shows at 8 p.m. on Aug. 16-18, Aug. 21-25 and Aug. 28-31.

Tickets available by phone at (760) 724-2110 or email at vistix@cityofvista.com

 

Theater Review: Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B

                 Cast of "Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B

Ah, mystery. Ah, how to find a good place to live when you’re alone and not yet rich. And ah, how to catch the conscience of the king.

What? I’m talking about The Old Globe’s latest offering, playwright Kate Hamill’s Victorian mystery-based comic play called “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B.” 

But Hamill also takes on the well-known murder mystery genre and changes the sex of detective Sherlock Holmes and retired Dr. Watson to detective Shirley Holmes and humanitarian Joan Watson. Then she puts them together in a London rooming house in and around 2021.

We’ll see lots of dastardly deeds, or at least the results thereof, as various characters played by Jenn Harris, Nehal Joshi, and the two stars Ruibo Qian (Shirley Holmes, detective) and Natalie Woolams-Torres (Joan Watson, humanitarian) waltz around each other and produce varying amounts of audience giggles and groans.

Playwright Hamill provides lots of interesting eye-candy, like bathtubs for, well, you know what, in addition to other murder locations. The mostly male victims are fun to watch as well.

It seems less than plausible that this Sherlock and this Watson would really get together (or even want to), but they are fun to watch as they attempt to navigate the difficulties in which they find themselves. Especially when they  have to deal with stunningly-lovely Jenn Harris, who plays all the gorgeous women who flit in and out.

There may be more goofball stuff than necessary, like when Qian and Woolams-Torres dress up like Irish nuns with crazy white hats and mutter “sure and begorrah.” But it’s all in good fun.

Sean Fanning’s scenic design works well in the round White theater, and Melanie Chen Cole’s sound effects add character and sometimes amusement to the space.

This is goofball theater at its most fun, even if it is a wee tad longer than necessary (two hours, plus one 15-minute intermission).

Theater Review: Peter Pan

                      Some of the "Peter Pan" cast

It’s hard to know what to say about this overloud, overactive, often difficult to understand version of the old Peter Pan story, playing through August 4 at San Diego Civic Theatre.

This new adaptation by playwright Larissa FastHorse is directed by Emmy Award winner Lonny Price and features choreography by Lorin Latarro.

You know the story: Peter Pan – that kid who can fly – visits the otherwise normal Darling household one night, sprinkles a little fairy dust and takes the kids away on a magical mystery tour they won’t forget. 

You won’t either, because it’s constant motion the whole time, accompanied by lots of seriously impressive dancing and songs which are somewhat less so – often too loud and difficult to understand. It left me wondering whether anybody checked the sound levels before they opened the show to the public.

But I’ll give it to Nolan Almeida’s Peter Pan, with a wonderful voice and persuasive manner – and the ability to fly and take kids to Neverland, and who doesn’t want to go there, especially with that cool crocodile (Christina Hélène Braa, who also plays a pirate, an Olmec and Jane).

Bravo to the sets (Anna Louizos), costumes (Sarafina Bush), lighting (Amith Chandrashaker) and production designs (David Bengali). 

Ah, to be a kid again. But here’s your chance, even though it’s too long and too repetitive. But isn’t life like that too sometimes?

The details

“Peter Pan” plays through Sunday, Aug. 4 at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Street at B in downtown San Diego.

Get tickets here: broadwaysd.com/upcoming-events/peter-pan/

Shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Matinees Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.