The good times keep on rolling. Theater in the Bay Area is—and, yes, I know you may grow tired of me repeating myself—a terrific experience, to say the least.
There’s something about the live energy. The anticipation. And knowing what you’re about to see will be absolutely unique for that evening alone. Every performance is different: intonation, body language, and rhythm all enjoy metamorphosis. And of course, us, the audience, also play a silent (or loud) role in establishing the mood.
Opening this weekend, are three great productions. I highly recommend you take a look and see if you don’t agree that, although we live in the yin of Silicon Valley, the arts are the perfect yang.
First up, Sideman opens tonight at the intimate Dragon Theatre in Palo Alto. The seating is comfortable, up-close and personal. What a way to experience a show!
From Dragon’s web site: “A moving, dramatic-comedy stage memoir of a ’40s jazz musician through the twilight years of the big band, Side Man is a haunting, blues-y tale full of characters who will stay in our hearts and minds for a long time.”
On Saturday, the family-friendly Berkeley Playhouse present The Wizard of Oz, a show that needs no introduction. It will be interesting to see how it works on stage; plus, the singing… flying monkeys?
If it’s anything like the stellar Peter Pan (review) earlier this year, hold onto your witches hats and broomsticks, you’re in for technicolor entertainment.
Another classic, La Cenerentola (based on Cinderella), also opens on Saturday at Opera San Jose. I can tell you the cast is extremely excited, and eager to showcase this production to families and fans across the Bay Area. Last week, in case you missed it, Loni met up with cast members just before rehearsal as they donned wigs, costumes and makeup. I even think Loni wanted to give it a shot (but, please, no singing parts).
Enjoy the shows. And visit back to SSC for all the reviews and inside scoop.
We have some new faces. And I think you’ll be really pleased with the caliber of coverage we can bring you. But I’ll leave that for you to decide. Either way, don’t forget to chime in with your opinions, comments, and tweets.
